Commentaire 45 – commentaires et rétroaction

Deputy Reeve MacDowall

Please find attached The Corporation of the Township of James Resolution #05-22 opposing further reduction of Northern Ontario electoral ridings.

Council urges the Ontario Commission for Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution to withdraw this proposal.

The corporation of the township of james

Resolution #05-22

Date: September 8, 2022.

Moved by: Councillor Gary Palmer Seconded by: Councillor Terry Fiset

Whereas the The Corporation of the Township of James has been represented by the Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Temiskaming since 2003;

And whereas the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario has proposed the elimination of one Riding in Northern Ontario and a redistribution of the remaining Electoral Ridings;

And whereas The Corporation of the Township of James and other municipalities in the South Temiskaming area would be part of a newly created Electoral Riding know as Cochrane-Timmins-Temiskaming;

And whereas the population of the existing Riding of Nipissing-Temiskaming meets the population requirements to maintain the Federal Riding;

And whereas the communities that comprise the current Electoral Riding of Nipissing-Temiskaming form a geopolitical entity that would be fragmented by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario's proposal;

And whereas this fragmentation would diminish and reduce access to Federal representation for the residents of the Township of James;

And whereas there is potential for the Province of Ontario to adopt the Federal electoral boundaries to establish Provincial electoral boundaries, which would repeat the negative effects on Provincial representation for the people and communities in Northern Ontario;

And whereas the ability to effectively represent diverse, small, rural communities continues to be eroded with the loss of Electoral Ridings in Northern Ontario;

Now therefore be it resolved that Council for The Corporation of the Township of James hereby petitions the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission to withdraw the proposal to eliminate a Federal Riding in Northern Ontario;

And further that the Township of James petitions the Federal Government to introduce legislation that would provide for a minimum number of guaranteed Ridings for Northern Ontario to ensure the voices of Northern and Rural Communities are not stifled;

And further that a copy of this resolution be forwarded to the Temiskaming Municipal Association, the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities, The Honourable Anthony Rota MP for Nipissing-Temiskaming and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario.

Deputy Reeve Janet MacDowall Carried Unanimously.