Comment 34 – comments and feedback

Nick McGregor

Dear Federal Electoral Districts Redistribution Commission,

I am writing to you on the subject of the "South Huron Shores" Boundary Proposal. As a resident of the current riding of Huron-Bruce, I do not believe this boundary properly represents the area. While it is true that many of these communities are connected to the Huron shoreline, there are so many differences in this riding that makes having one representative untenable.

First, the size of the riding is difficult for any one person to represent. As one long narrow strip, the riding takes over two hours to drive from Kettle Point to Saugeen Shores. The riding will cover four separate counties, with four separate health units, four separate labour councils, four school boards, and many communities that have different concerns. Someone from the very south of the proposed riding would have no understanding of the issues and the concerns of those in the north. In Bruce County they are concerned with nuclear power, with the Bruce Nuclear Plant providing a large portion of the jobs. Along the shore, most are concerned with tourism as that is the major provider of jobs. Inland in places such as Clinton, Wingham, Seaforth, the major focus is farming. Adding the concerns of Kettle Point First Nation, which has specific concerns of its own, as well as Lucan, which at this point is becoming an exurb of London, would create a mess of a riding that would be difficult to represent.

Secondly, the riding of Huron-Bruce already has an issue of feeling thrown together. Huron and Bruce Counties are largely not connected, as they are often paired with other areas and feel like leftovers thrown together. Huron County is almost always paired with Perth County, as the school boards and the health unit cover both areas. Many in Huron County are more connected with the areas of Stratford, Listowel and Mitchell, than with Kincardine, Port Elgin, and Walkerton. Bruce County is similarly paired with Grey County as strongly as Huron and Perth. This is often felt during election time where voters will simply ask where the candidate is from. If they're not from Huron County, voters from Huron County will not be happy with them, and vice versa for Bruce.

Thirdly, adding Kettle Point to this area is a major change and dilutes Indigenous representation in the legislature. There is nowhere else in the riding with a large Indigenous population. While Huron-Bruce is slowly diversifying it is not a place where Indigenous peoples will find their issues shared, promoted, and represented.

Finally, if this proposal were to go ahead, it should be simply named "Huron Shores." There is no "North Huron Shores" which makes the addition of south awkward. Also there is already a municipality of South Huron, which adds to the confusion. Likely residents of Bruce, Middlesex, and Lambton counties which will be added to this riding will feel left out of this name, but adding all these areas into one name would also be a poor choice.

I thank you for considering my points of view and those of many people in my area.

Nick McGregor