The Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater electoral district is among four districts in Alberta’s northeast that could be consolidated into three, as recommended in the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission interim report released last week.
Some local politicians are concerned about the changes to Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater, and one main point of contention is the decrease in representation rural areas such as Athabasca could see.
“The MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) cannot be able to attend functions and events in multiple places in the same day, as an urban or city MLA would be able to,” said Athabasca County reeve Doris Splane. She also pointed out that the Athabasca division would now include Lac La Biche and Fort McMurray, which she said is extensive.
“When I gave recommendations to the boundary review committee, it was to use our natural trading patterns. That would be the guide for boundary changes, and certainly we don’t have a lot in common with Fort McMurray,” she said.
Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Colin Piquette said he has not made his opinions on the matter secret, and when he presented at the Boundaries Commission session in Westlock, he advocated that rural ridings should be kept the size they are “because of distance and issues of representation.”
“I’d be surprised if there’s many out there that are really happy to see Athabasca lumped in with Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche,” Piquette said. “On a personal level, I’ve developed relationships with people within the existing boundary. I’d be sad to lose any of my ridings.”
Piquette said effective representation should be considered as one of the primary considerations of re-drawing boundaries.
“Provincially, our system is predicated on a much more hands on approach at the constituency level, and I think that’s one of the positive aspects of our system. I hate to see that attenuated,” he said.
Rural concerns were addressed in the commission’s interim report.
“The majority accepts that the time has come to stop treating differences between rural and urban Albertans as a main driver in setting the boundaries of electoral divisions,” the report states.
The report also said the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act does not guarantee that rural areas make up half, or any other percentage, of Alberta’s electoral division.
Piquette said he would respond to this argument that the Canadian system has never been predicated on a strict one person, one equal vote approach.
“There’s always been this understanding that effective representation means that it is legitimate to take other factors into consideration,” he said.
Other recommendations include the addition of a division each in Calgary, Edmonton and Airdrie, and two other consolidations in rural areas.
Town of Athabasca councillor Tanu Evans agreed with Piquette and Splane on some points, but disagreed on rural representation.
“This is a two-edged sword. One, I applaud the NDP in removing some of the power from rural ridings. I think urban ridings have been underrepresented, and that’s where the majority of our population lays,” he said.
He added he does not agree with the borders, and that electoral boundaries should represent a community, or a region.
“I don’t agree with grouping ridings this large; the geographical distance is just too great between our two communities,” Evans said. “Athabasca has very, very different needs from Fort McMurray. We have different priorities, and being grouped in with a large urban municipality means our voice will be drowned out.”
Piquette noted that nothing is set in stone yet, and there is another round of consultation yet for the boundary review.
“Definitely, the electoral boundary commission is actively seeking input on these questions. I encourage residents who have concerns over the proposal to make sure their voices are heard,” he said.
The Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater electoral district is among four districts in Alberta’s northeast that could be consolidated into three, as recommended in the Alberta Electoral Boundaries Commission interim report released last week.
Some local politicians are concerned about the changes of the Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater boundaries, and one main point of contention is the decrease in representation rural areas such as Athabasca could see.
Athabasca County reeve Doris Splane pointed out that the Athabasca division would now include Lac la Biche and Fort McMurray, which she said is extensive.
“When I gave recommendations to the boundary review committee, it was to use our natural trading patterns. That would be the guide for boundary changes, and certainly we don’t have a lot in common with Fort McMurray,” she said, also noting issues of distance.
“The MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) cannot be able to attend functions and events in multiple places in the same day, as an urban or city MLA would be able to,” she said.
Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater MLA Colin Piquette said he has not made his opinions on the matter secret, and when he presented to the at the Boundaries Commission consultation session in Westlock, he advocated that rural ridings should be kept the size they are “because of distance and issues of representation.”
“I’d be surprised if there’s many out there that are really happy to see Athabasca lumped in with Fort McMurray and Lac La Biche,” Piquette said. “On a personal level, I’ve developed relationships with people within the existing boundary. I’d be sad to lose any of my ridings.”
Piquette said effective representation should be considered as one of the primary considerations of re-drawing boundaries.
“Provincially, our system is predicated on a much more hands on approach at the constituency level, and I think that’s one of the positive aspects of our system. I hate to see that attenuated,” he said.
Rural concerns were addressed in the commission’s interim report, and it stated, “The majority accepts that the time has come to stop treating differences between rural and urban Albertans as a main driver in setting the boundaries of electoral divisions.”
It also said the Electoral Boundaries Commission Act does not guarantee that rural areas make up half, or any other percentage, of Alberta’s electoral division.
Piquette said he would respond to this argument that the Canadian system has never been predicated on a strict one person, one equal vote approach.
“There’s always been this understanding that effective representation means that it is legitimate to take other factors into consideration,” he said.
Other recommendations include the addition of a division each in Calgary, Edmonton and Airdrie, and two other consolidations in rural areas.
Town of Athabasca councillor Tanu Evans agreed with Piquette and Splane on some points, but disagreed on rural representation.
“This is a two-edged sword. One, I applaud the NDP in removing some of the power from rural ridings. I think urban ridings have been underrepresented, and that’s where the majority of our population lays,” he said.
He added he does not agree with the borders, and that electoral boundaries should represent a community, or a region.
“I don’t agree with grouping ridings this large; the geographical distance is just too great between our two communities,” Evans said. “Athabasca has very, very different needs from Fort McMurray. We have different priorities, and being grouped in with a large urban municipality means our voice will be drowned out.”
Piquette noted that nothing is set in stone yet, and there is another round of consultation yet for the boundary review.
“Definitely, the electoral boundary commission is actively seeking input on these questions. I encourage residents who have concerns over the proposal to make sure their voices are heard,” he said.
