Comment 55 – comments and feedback

Lani Skene

My name is Lani Skene And as a resident of the Kenora riding I have a firm opposition to the realignment of the Kenora Riding to be lumped in with the Thunderbay Rainey River districts.

Geographically this makes no sense the communities of the Kenora riding are vastly different in their interests then the Interests of the greater Thunderbay Area.

Being a remote riding at the far western edge of Ontario we already feel that our voice is ignored in matters that effect our communities.

Our highways in this District are the worst in the country. Cross country travel on the Trans Canada Highway between the Manitoba boarder and Thunder Bay has become a game of chance that keeps our residences in fear every time a loved one needs to travel. Efforts and petitioning to twin this portion of the Highways has fallen on deaf ears and upgrades that have been made so far have been on a symbolic scale.

Our Health Care is under served and with the geographical challenges to commute to see a doctor or specialist many residences travel to Manitoba to fill this need as the Thunderbay regional is already overwhelmed.

Industry Support, how are we going to compete with the interests of the Thunderbay area to bring jobs to our small communities there has been a steady flow of jobs out of our communities to bigger centres like Thunderbay over the last 30yrs especially in government and with the majority of voter interest moved to that area this trend will continue or accelerate.

forestry jobs in the area have already been reducing at a steady rate where would the interests lay if a representative had to choose in investments of a mill in Dryden vs Thunderbay with bulk of his voters being in the Thunderbay area.

with the vast distance that would be placed on this purposed new riding and the history of already being under served federally lumping Kenora in with Thunderbay would be a severe mistake that would hamper these small already struggling communities. If a change must occur I would be more in favour us bringing Rainey river into the Kenora riding as well as Atikokan, and Thunderbay Superior can remain taking in the whole of thunder bay . Kenora and Rainey river have much more in common and like interest then that of the greater Thunderbay area.

Please don't make the mistake of under serving a already ignored portion of Canada. Above is just a small example of how the Kenora riding is already under served

Thanks for your time

Lani Skene