Several Lambton County politicians say they are disappointed with a proposed new federal electoral map that could see the county divided and distributed among three different electoral districts.
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Several Lambton County politicians say they are disappointed with a proposed new federal electoral map that could see the county divided and distributed among three different electoral districts.
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The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario has proposed changes that include expanding the existing federal electoral district of Sarnia-Lambton to include Walpole Island First Nation, as well as the Wallaceburg and Dresden areas of Chatham -Kent. It would be renamed Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong.
Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, which currently includes the eastern part of Lambton, disappears under the proposal. Instead, the township of Warwick, Brooke-Alvinston and half of the township of Dawn-Euphemia would be part of the new district of Elgin—Middlesex—Thames.
Lambton Shores would be separated from Lambton—Kent—Middlesex and attached to South Huron Shores, a district stretching along the Lake Huron shoreline to Saugeen Shores.
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“I’m not very happy about it,” Lambton manager Kevin Marriott said.
Dividing the county’s municipalities into three different federal electoral districts “is a little disappointing” and “it seems pretty fractured,” he said.
“As prefect, I would like to see the county come as close to a precinct as possible,” Marriott said.
It could become more difficult for Lambton to approach federal officials and “have a voice on an issue” if local leaders have to work with three MPs instead of two, he said.
“It just feels like our collective voice will be weakened even further,” Marriott said.
Ontario was awarded an additional seat in Parliament as a result of the 2021 census and the commission was created to develop proposals for the province’s electoral boundaries. The commission released its proposal this month and is holding virtual and in-person public hearings in September and October, and is accepting public comments until September 25. Information is available online at redistribution2022.ca.
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A final proposal is expected to be submitted to Parliament for decision later this year
Marriott said it doubts hearings or public comment will change the end result.
“They might have the illusion of listening to us, but they probably won’t,” he said.
Alan Broad, mayor of Dawn-Euphemia, said his council should send its objections to the proposal to the commission.
“They cut our municipality in two,” he said. “As a small community, we have enough problems as they try to get funding from the federal government. Now, we would have to involve two deputies, which makes no sense.
Bill Weber, Mayor of Lambton Shores, said he spoke to Lianne Rood, MP for Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, about his concerns about the proposal, which would separate his community from Lambton and make it part of an extended waterfront district. lake.
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“It just seems wrong to me,” Weber said.
Weber said he plans to ask Lambton Shores council for a resolution asking that the proposal be reconsidered.
Some Lambton Shores residents already feel like the community “is forgotten by the county as it is,” he said. “If it’s in a different constituency, it will only make things worse.
Sarnia-Lambton MP Marilyn Gladu said the district is already within the target population range established for the process.
“It doesn’t serve anyone in a better way,” she said of the proposed changes.
If the commission wants to increase the size of Sarnia-Lambton, it could simply add the Lambton communities that are currently part of the neighboring electoral district of Lambton—Kent—Middlesex, she said.
“That would make sense,” Gladu said.
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The population of the new riding of Sarnia—Lambton—Bkejwanong proposed by the commission would be 127,200, according to the commission. Lambton County’s population was 128,154 in 2021, according to the census.
“We have time to give our opinion,” Gladu said.
She has set up a virtual “town hall” meeting for Tuesday. She said residents can email her office, [email protected], to participate.
Gladu said she also plans to participate in one of the commission’s upcoming public hearings and encourages others to submit their comments before the commission’s final report is submitted to parliament.
“Now is the time to have your say,” she said.
