Comment 85 – comments and feedback

Gordon Griffiths, Mayor of the Municipality of Machin

Thank you for your consideration.

Municipality of Machin

To Whom it May Concern,

The Council of the Municipality of Machin at its Council meeting on September 12, 2022 passed Resolution No.9.1 opposing the proposed reduction of Northern ridings and representatives.

A copy is enclosed for your information and any attention deemed necessary.

If you require any further information, please do to hesitate to contact me

Sincerely,

(Original signed by)

Tammy Rob, Clerk Treasurer. Enc.

Municipality of Machin

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 Ontario from ten to nine; and

Whereas the Constitution of Canada requires that the federal elector 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 massive 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 land mass size of the new Kenora-Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding would make it virtually ungovernable, and ultimately infringe on the democratic rights of northerners; 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 legislation would in fact support, according to the population quota to be applied by the Commission, a reduction of two, but the commission has recommended one; 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 Council of the Corporation of the Municipality of Machin strongly opposes the proposed reduction of Northern ridings and representatives; and further

That the Municipality of Machin 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; and further

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

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

Carried