Comment 54 – comments and feedback

The Corporation of the Municipality of Shuniah

Attached please find a copy of Resolution 293-22 carried by the Municipality of Shuniah on September 13th, 2022. This resolution is regarding the new electoral map proposed by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Ontario.

Council Resolution

Resolution Number 293-22

Whereas the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Ontario has proposed a new electoral map that would cut the number of federal election districts in northern Ontairo from ten to nine; and

Whereas the Constitution of Canada requires that the federal electoral districts be reviewed every ten years; and

Whereas the most significant change would see the two largest ridings in the far north, Kenora and Timmins-James Bay, amended and combined into one riding called Kiiwetinoong-Mushkegowuk, spanning from the Manitoba border to Quebec, and Kenora's current riding boundary readjusted dramatically and combined with Thunder Bay-Rainy River with further significant changes to the Thunder Bay-Superior North and Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing boundaries; and

Whereas the landmass size of the new Kenora-Thunder Bay River riding would make it virtually ungovernable, and ultimately infringe on the democratic rights of northerners; and

Whereas the Commission itself concluded any "further reduction in the number of districts in the north would imperil the principle of effective representation in this part of the province, considering its widely dispersed population and communities of interest"; and,

Whereas the voice of the North in the House of Commons is already imperiled and underrepresented by so few seats; and,

Whereas our region has diverse and unique interests which are quite different from one another and deserve adequate diverse representation in Ottawa; and

Whereas the Kenora District was deemed an "extraordinary circumstance" in 2012 during the last boundary review, and because of which it was not revised at that time; and

Now therefore be it resolved that the Council of the Municipality of Shuniah strongly opposes the proposed reduction of Northern ridings and representatives; and further

That the Municipality of Shuniah calls upon the Federal Electoral Boundary Commission to consider the vast land mass that already exists within our electoral boundary and refrain from extending any boundary which reduces northern ridings and representatives;

That further consideration be given to the uniqueness of Northwestern Ontario, especially smaller municipalities in the north and expanding this boundary provides further imperiled and underrepresented by so few seats; and further

That copies of this resolution be forwarded to Eric Melillo, MP for Kenora; the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario, the Kenora District Municipal Association, the Rainy-River District Municipal Association, and the Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association.

Carried

(Original signed by)

Wendy Landry