Commentaire 75 – commentaires et rétroaction

Doug Lawrance, Mayor, Municipality of Sioux Lookout

Mayor's Remarks to Federal Electoral Boundary Review Committee Oct 3, 2022

Good evening and thank you for the opportunity to present on this important topic for Sioux Lookout. The Municipal Council of Sioux Lookout passed a Council Resolution related to the electoral boundary changes and that Resolution was unequivocal in stating Municipal opposition to the proposed change. You will have received a copy of that Resolution. This evening I hope to be able to expand on that Council Resolution.

You will be hearing about numbers from many advocates – population, riding area, and population density. Indeed, the impetus to periodically review electoral boundaries is based on population changes over the years and a need to ensure proportionate representation for Canadians. Federal electoral riding areas are within Provincial boundaries. Our area in Northwestern Ontario has both big and small numbers. A relatively large area and a relatively small population.

The municipal population of Sioux Lookout, 6,000, represents just 0.04% of Ontario's 15 million people – put another way, 1 out of every 2,500 Ontarians live here. At the same time our municipality serves as a hub for approximately 30,000 people, 0.2% of Ontario's population. Still small numbers. The large number is the geographic area for which we act as a hub, approximately 25% of Ontario's million square kilometers. And in the catchment area for which Sioux Lookout acts as a hub there are approximately 30 of the 133 First Nations in Ontario.

We are here before you advocating that, if the electoral boundary is revised, Sioux Lookout does not want to be included in a northern riding composed largely of First Nations. Rather that we are advocating to be included in a riding with the municipalities to the south. And furthermore, we do not think that the proposed riding to our south spanning from the Manitoba border east to include half the City of Thunder Bay provides effective representation. Our rationale falls into several categories which can be summarized as:

• First Nation and Municipal Alignments with Government
• Established regional governance structures
• Miscellaneous common factors that could inform electoral boundaries
• Democracy and Representation

First Nations have a much more direct connection with the Federal Government than do Municipalities. It is often said that municipalities are creatures of the Province. Not so First Nations. And in the in-between world of Sioux Lookout, both a service hub for First Nations and a home base for many Indigenous agencies, the direct connection of the Federal level to First Nations and the disconnection of the Municipality from that Federal level is clearly evident. Our experience from the recent Provincial electoral riding changes confirms that a riding in which the vast majority of communities are First Nations does not work optimally for the minority of communities which are municipalities.

Within Northwestern Ontario there are many services provided through regional governance. And the boundaries of those services and their governance generally follow District lines – the Districts of Rainy River, Kenora, and Thunder Bay. The services and agencies include the District Social Service Boards – RRDSB, KDSB, and TBDSB. These service agencies cover the delivery of social assistance, day care, housing, and land ambulance services. They are governed by Boards appointed from municipal Councils. Similarly Public Health is delivered by two Public Health Units. The Thunder Bay District Health Unit covers the City of Thunder Bay and smaller municipalities around and to the east of Thunder Bay – essentially the District of Thunder Bay. The Northwestern Health provides Public Health to the Districts of Kenora and Rainy River. Governance of the Health Units is by Boards appointed by municipal Councils and supplemented by some Provincial appointees. Other regional governance bodies include District Homes for the Aged and School Boards, and similarly the District boundaries come into play. The newly established and formative Ontario Health Teams also align within District boundaries – one in the Thunder Bay District, two in the Kenora District, and one in the Rainy River District. Political organizations such as the Kenora District Municipal Association, the Rainy River District Municipal Association, and the Thunder Bay District Municipal League, all align within their respective Districts.

Council of the corporation of the municipality of sioux lookout

Meeting date:

September 21, 2022

Resolution No.:

CL-172-2022

Move by:

J. Cassidy

Seconded by:

J. Timpson

Potential Redistribution of Federal Ridings Advocacy

Whereas the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario ("Commission") released its proposed redistribution of federal riding boundaries in August 2022;

Whereas Northern Ontario would lose a seat in the House of Commons under the proposed redistribution;

Whereas the proposed distribution would combine most of the population of the existing Kenora and Thunder Bay - Rainy Rivet tidings into Kenora - Thunder Bay - Rainy River and would create the new riding of Kiiwetinoong - Mushkegowuk, a large and sparsely populated far north riding spanning from the Manitoba to Quebec borders;

Whereas the current proposal has been criticized as impractical and unfair for northern communities by both current and former MPs from across Northern Ontario, from all three major political patties;

Whereas the proposed redistribution fails to recognize the economic, historic, and cultural distinctions across Northwestern Ontario and the separation of interests between the City of Thunder bay and the other, smaller communities in the region;

Whereas the Northern Policy Institute has published research that confirmed that the Kenora and Rainy River districts are in a distinct economic region from Thunder Bay, and these districts generally fall into separate Indigenous treaty territories; and

Whereas the Commission has called for written submissions from citizens and stakeholders on its proposed redistribution by September 25, 2022;

Therefore it is resolved thaT:

1. Council conveys the following comments as submissions to the Commission:
   1. Council is gravely concerned by the loss of representation for Northern Ontario in the proposed redistribution and is of the view that 10 seats ought to be reserved foR the north to account for its geographic, economic. Social diversity, and as part of a broader commitment to reconciliation;
   2. Council is of the view that by combining most of the exiting Kenora and Thunder Bay - Rainy River tidings, the Commission will further erode effective representation for the smallest centres and rural and outlying communities, particularly when such vast rural areas are placed in a riding with a large urban population like the City of Thunder Bay;
   3. Council is concerned that the proposed map separates communities of similar interest, need, and economy from one another - in particular by placing the communities in the Red Lake area in a separate riding from those in the Kenora, Dryden, and Fort Frances areas and by unnecessarily separating Treaty #3 First Nations from one another across electoral boundaries;
   4. Council is concerned that the reduction of Sioux Lookout representation at the federal level will curtail our ability to effectively advocate for the unique needs of our community and for the many Northern communities for who we serve as a critical service Hub;
   5. Council agrees with the public comments made by current and former MPs for Northwestern Ontario tidings, who have generally expressed concern about the proposed tidings being unmanageable and impractical;
   6. Council is concerned that the proposed riding map for the Northwest fails to account for the vast geography of the region and the economic, historic, political, and demographic differences across the region;
   7. Council is of the view that the current proposal creates boundaries for the purpose of adhering to the population formula without fully accounting for the unique geographic, industrial, and cultural realities of northern communities and their different community interests;
   8. Council is of the opinion that effective representation for the Northwest requites that travel times, Indigenous territorial boundaries, community history, provincial boundaries, and economic regions be reflected in federal electoral boundaries;
   9. If the current 10 seats for Northern Ontario is not maintained, Council suggest that consideration be given by the Commission as to whether the City of Thunder Bay ought to be contained within a single riding in order to give more effective representation to rural and smaller communities in the region; and
   10. Council is of the view that the Commission should recommend that "exceptional circumstances" apply to more than one riding in the Northwest to justify deviating from the per-tiding population target if it is necessary to achieve an appropriate electoral map that reflects the needs and concerns described in the previous paragraphs;
2. Council directs the municipal administration to send a copy of this resolution to the commission with a covering letter, by email (ON@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca) before September 25, 2022
3. Council directs the administration to publish a copy of this resolution on the municipality's social media; and
4. Council directs that copy of this resolution be sent to
   1. The Northwestern Ontario Municipal Association;
   2. All municipalities in the Kenora and Rainy River Districts; and
   3. The current MPs for Northwestern Ontario (eric.melillo@parl.gc.ca, patty.hajdu@parl.gc.ca and marcus.powlowsl6@parl.gc.ca).

Carried

Certified a Good and True Copy

Brian P. MacKinnon Municipal Clerk Municipality of Sioux Lookout September 22, 2022