The final report from the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission released Oct. 19 recommends that Athabasca, Westlock, Smoky Lake, Thorhild and Barrhead counties join to form one constituency.
The changes come after an earlier version of the report released in May stated that Athabasca should be lumped into a provincial district with Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche.
“This recommendation reflects changes made to the majority’s interim recommendation based on significant public input to the effect that Athabasca has more in common with the communities south and west of it than to those, as earlier proposed, within the Fort McMurray-Lac La Biche constituency,” the report states.
The new riding’s population would be 46,920, “virtually at provincial average population size” according to the report. The report also notes that the new riding would be larger east-west than its predecessors, the “geographic size is reduced in a north-south direction.”
Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Colin Piquette said he believes the size of the riding would make it difficult to represent effectively. He also pointed out that communities may hold events that do not conflict with other events in their area, but the size of the district means events across county boundaries do often run at the same time.
“There’s only one of me,” he said. “It’s not like a city riding where you might have multiple MLAs that can attend these events or they can send substitutes. Most of the time, I’m it. An example of that would be – the one I brought up to the commission – is Remembrance Day. There’s just literally no way I can be in Smoky Lake, Athabasca, Barrhead and Westlock and who knows where else at the same time.”
He also said he wishes the commission had used the population variance allowed in the legislation.
Piquette said “if push comes to shove” he would try to find a way to an effective MLA, but would continue to advocate for a more reasonably-sized rural riding.
“Compared to the last round of changes there is a greater community of interest in these new boundaries than the Fort-McMurray-Athabasca [riding],” he said.
He added that he believed there are other ways to address the concerns over representation by population.
Piquette also said the report would be brought to legislature this autumn, and there is still some chance for adjustment.
“I guess what I’ll be doing is talking to stakeholders and residents to get a lead on how they feel about it, and bring their concerns before legislature,” he said. “I don’t envy the boundary commission … It’s not an easy job to do.”
Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock MLA Glenn van Dijken said that in his opinion, the commission “failed to recognize the need for equitable representation.”
Travelling from Swan Hills in the west to St. Vincent in the east is at least a three-and-a-half-hour drive, assuming there’s no traffic and the roads are good, he said. As well, every municipal council and every school board has work for their MLA to do.
In a riding the size of Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock, the size was at least manageable.
“This (proposed riding will) make it very difficult for one MLA to represent that many municipalities,” he said. “The size is just, in my opinion, not acceptable.” van Dijken said he was concerned the commission put way too much weight on population numbers, whereas their focus should have been to get effective representation for all Albertans.
“I just find it very alarming that the Electoral Boundaries Commission feels that one MLA can represent a riding that is 300 kilometres wide and feels that’s equal representation to an Edmonton or Calgary MLA who’s representing a riding that’s maybe five-10 miles wide. How does that make any sense?”
Acknowledging he hadn’t extensively studied the other ridings proposed by the commission, van Dijken indicated that it was quite concerning if rural Alberta was being left with diluted representation.
