Comment 140 – comments and feedback

Ron M. Wright

It was my privilege to attend the in person meeting last night and to make a presentation to your committee. I have updated the document that I had sent in earlier so am attaching the updated copy.

We heard a lot of concerns by many but I was somewhat taken by Gary Martin's suggestions. He had done a lot of research and his presentation seemed to make a lot of good sense without having to make such drastic moves in so many ridings. I would suggest that your committee take a serious look at the possibility of how his suggestions might work.

Thank you for taking the time to hear from each of us and we trust that you can come up with the most suitable riding boundaries as possible.

Ron M. Wright

Honourable Members of the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario

RE: Proposed Changes of the "Lambton-Kent-Middlesex" to the "Elgin-Middlesex-Thames" Electoral Boundaries

As a voter, in the Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding (LKM), for the last 27 years and a person who really cares for our community in the (LKM), I have some very major concerns that need to be considered in the change of riding boundaries.

First, the present LKM is one of the largest ridings in Ontario with well over 300 km around it, at present. Having been involved in assisting both Provincial and Federal candidates, I have driven thousands of kilometers to help contact the voters.

I have had thoughts that there could be better boundaries set to make the riding easier to reach out to. The new proposed boundaries do include a few of my thoughts but then it goes way too far in other areas.

I will list my comments below:

• I agree with the new proposed boundary change in the South-West area.

  Transfering the area west of County Rd.# 15 out of the LKM is a good move.

• I strongly feel that it is a major mistake to drop "Lambton Shores" out of the riding as it is like splitting a harmonious family in two. There are too many similarities and very close connections between "Lambton Shores" and the Strathroy area. To leave "Lambton Shores out of the riding would cause much confusion and devastation. There are too many connections of families, businesses and agricultural relationships between the Lambton Shores are and the Middlesex area to be torn apart.

  The Strathroy area is the central hub of the LKM riding. There is minimal trading connections between Lambton Shores, Forest & Grand Bend, with Huron County; they are two very different communities. The majority of Lambton Shores business reaches southward to the Strathroy area. Also the Huron riding reaches to 7 km North of Port Elgin; to stretch over 2 hour/approx. 200 km, all the way South to the Forest area, is very unreasonable. To remove Lambton Shores from the present LKM would be a very unwise move and it should not be removed from the Strathroy area.

• If the LKM needs to be expanded, I can understand the riding extending beyond the Thames river to Lake Erie but would very strongly recommend that it not go beyond the Hwy.# 4/Port Stanley to the East.

• The boundary should not go below London & St. Thomas and for sure not all the way to Port Bruce, beyond Port Burwell & Hwy.# 55 and up the East side of London at all. Most people from Port Bruce and Port Burwell probably would not know how to get to Strathroy without a GPS.

• The boundary above London should not be extended beyond the existing boundary of Hwy.# 16.

These suggested changes would allow for some expansion without destroying the existing riding as the proposed changes do.

Please, do not tear a harmonious Family apart by removing "Lambton Shores" from the "Lambton-Kent-Middlesex" riding.

I understand that your Commission has a large task to alter the riding boundaries. I would respectfully ask that serious consideration be given to the above recommendations.

Ronald M. Wright
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Forest, Ont. XXXX
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September 20, 2022
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Revised: October 28, 2022