Political associations reform for new boundaries

Times Contributor 

 

The federal electoral boundary realignments will set Wheatland County in the new riding of Bow River. 

Wheatland County is currently part of the Crowfoot riding, with our current elected Member of Parliament Kevin Sorenson. He remains as our representative in federal parliament until the election in 2015. The new boundary designations are effective after May 2014 and will be in place for the 2015 election.

The federal electoral boundaries are reviewed every 10 years after completion of population census. Guidelines for redistribution of boundaries is based on area populations divided by a formula called the electoral quotient, which gives a representative amount of seats for each province. The aim is to have each district containing approximately the same amount of eligible voters. 

A three-member commission is appointed for each province to further review the boundary divisions. Alberta’s commission members were Alberta Court of Appeal Justice Carole Conrad, now deceased Ed Eggerer, a former Airdrie Real estate agent and President of the Airdrie Rotary Club, and Donna Wilson an electoral administrator and electoral returns officer.

Each commission looks at factors like community interests or identity, historical boundaries and considers geographic size of the riding as well. The names for new ridings were derived through regional and provincial characteristics; the use of names of people was avoided, unless there was a long standing name association with a particular area. When tentative boundaries are designated, a draft is presented for public consultation. Public open houses were held in 2012. 

“The commission was impressed with the quality and thoughtfulness of the presentations at the public hearings,” said Alberta Chair, Justice Carole Conrad. “The input was invaluable. It gave us information and local insight, not otherwise readily available. Communication between the commission and the public is an example of democracy in action.” 

There will be 338 seats for the House of Commons, with British Columbia and Alberta gaining six new seats each: Ontario has 15 more seats and Quebec has three. The Canadian territories gained no new seats. 

The Bow River electoral division is a jigsaw puzzle-shaped area including major population centres of Fort Macleod and Claresholm to the south, Rocky View County to the eastern side of the City of Calgary city limits, runs north on the east side of Airdrie to the Red Deer River running down below Drumheller, and includes all of Wheatland County and parts of Vulcan County to the east including Brooks and Bassano. For a detailed map and description see, www. federal-redistribution.ca 

Local political parties are beginning to reform their political party electoral district associations to fall in line with the new boundaries. The party membership will appoint boards who will look within their association to find new candidates to put forward as representatives in the next federal election. The Conservative Party held an initial reformation meeting at the Travelodge on Nov. 27, to elect initial board members for the Bow River area. Eighteen of a possible 30 people put their names forward to serve on the board. More meetings and working details for the association will be discussed in upcoming months.