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PART IV
Reasons for Recommendations and Decision
Mandate
Section 15 of the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act defines the
mandate of the Commission in reviewing the existing electoral boundaries in
the Province of Prince Edward Island:
15. (1) In preparing its report, each commission for a province shall, subject
to subsection (2), be governed by the following rules:
(a) the division of the province into electoral districts and the
description of the boundaries thereof shall proceed on the basis that the
population of each electoral district in the province as a result thereof
shall, as close as reasonably possible, correspond to the electoral quota
for the province, that is to say, the quotient obtained by dividing the
population of the province as ascertained by the census by the number of
members of the House of Commons to be assigned to the province as calculated
by the Chief Electoral Officer under subsection 14(1); and
(b) the commission shall consider the following in determining reasonable
electoral district boundaries:
(i) the community of interest or community of identity in or the historical
pattern of an electoral district in the province, and
(ii) a manageable geographic size for districts in sparsely populated,
rural or northern regions of the province.
Factors for Consideration
The Commission has interpreted the above-noted section as requiring electoral
districts to be established as close as reasonably possible to the electoral
quota for the province. This is the Commission's primary goal, while also taking
into account community of interest, community of identity, and the historical
pattern of the electoral districts in the province. While geographic size is
one of the legislated considerations, the Commission has determined that given
the province's size, it is not a factor.
1. Population
The 2001 decennial census population of Prince Edward Island is 135,294.
This produces an electoral quota of 33,824. While the existing electoral districts
reflected the purposes established in the Act, some adjustments are to be
considered to better achieve the objectives. Population shifts over the past
two decades have been considered in order to continue to reflect the purposes
of the Act. For example, the population of the electoral district of Cardigan
has remained substantially constant; however, in relative terms, it has fallen
to –10.01 percent from the electoral quota.
Under subsection 15(2) of the Act, the Commission may depart from the application
of the general rule in subsection 15(1) regarding community of interest or
maintaining a manageable geographic size. The Commission finds it unnecessary
to rely on this provision. Geographic size is not a serious factor. The proposed
boundaries will more effectively address community of interest and identity
within reduced variants from the electoral quota.
2. Community of Interest/Identity
Community of interest and community of identity are reflected by three different
means:
| (i) |
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the recognition of municipal boundaries; |
| (ii) |
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the natural geography of the rivers which divide Cardigan,
Malpeque and Hillsborough; and |
| (iii) |
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the desirability of having one of the province's largest
communities in each of the four electoral districts. |
The boundaries of the four electoral districts, as prescribed by the 1994
redistribution process, require adjustment in order to give community of interest
its fullest impact. While the current electoral districts conform to the historical
pattern of the electoral districts, municipal amalgamations have occurred
during the 1990s resulting in communities being divided between two electoral
districts. Recognition of municipal boundaries is a key consideration in this
redistribution. They are determined to be a significant indicator of community
of interest and community of identity.
The natural geography of the river system provides a secondary indicator
of community of interest. Although less relevant in 2002 than 1902, given
road and highway systems in the province, the rivers offer natural boundaries
that coincide with existing municipal boundaries.
Finally, the redistribution being proposed results in each of the four electoral
districts containing one of the province's largest communities. While this
is not a determining factor, it does provide a sense of a balance to each
electoral district.
Proposed Changes
The Commission proposed two substantive changes to the electoral districts:
(1) inclusion of all of the City of Charlottetown into the new electoral
district of Charlottetown; and
(2) inclusion of all of the Town of Stratford into the electoral district
of Cardigan.
Charlottetown
Municipal reform took place in Prince Edward Island in the mid-1990s.
The province enacted legislation, the Charlottetown Area Municipalities
Act, 1994, c. 6, which enabled the amalgamation of several smaller
communities into larger entities. The electoral district of Hillsborough
included eight distinct municipalities located north of the Charlottetown
Harbour and between the Hillsborough and Yorke rivers. The new City of
Charlottetown amalgamated those communities, plus the former Community
of Winsloe. The electoral district of Hillsborough includes most, but
not all, of the amalgamated city. The former Community of Winsloe is in
the Malpeque electoral district. Leaving this small portion of the city
in a different electoral district does not achieve the objective of the
redistribution legislation.
The decennial census
population of Charlottetown is 32,245, which is very close to the electoral
quota. This provides an opportunity to create an electoral district which
replicates the boundaries of the City of Charlottetown. In addition to being
the capital of the province, Charlottetown is also considered the birthplace of
the nation. Thus, having a strong community of interest and identity, the City
of Charlottetown forms an electoral district that fully reflects the intent of
the legislation.
The Commission considered the
names of the electoral districts, particularly that of Hillsborough. The
electoral district names of Egmont, Malpeque, Hillsborough and Cardigan were
established in 1966. At that time county lines as boundaries and the two-member
electoral district of Queens were abandoned. In addition, the number of
electoral districts was increased from three to four. It is the Commission's
understanding that the electoral districts were named for the major bays in the
Province of Prince Edward Island.
The electoral boundaries of
the new electoral district of Charlottetown are no longer adjacent to
Hillsborough Bay. The electoral district is bounded by Charlottetown Harbour
and the Hillsborough and Yorke rivers. The Commission is unaware of any
significant historical impediments to changing the name from Hillsborough. The
electoral district is comprised of the City of Charlottetown only, which is the
capital of the province and the birthplace of Confederation. This provides
ample foundation for the name of the new electoral district. The Commission
believes that the electoral district of Charlottetown will achieve recognition
at the provincial and national levels. Therefore, the Commission proposes that
the electoral district be named "Charlottetown".
Stratford
Since the last redistribution exercise in 1994, the Town of Stratford
was created. The amalgamation of the communities of Bunbury, Southport,
Cross Roads and Keppoch-Kinlock occurred pursuant to the Charlottetown
Area Municipalities Act, and has resulted in the formation of the
Town of Stratford. The town demonstrates a community of interest/identity
through a municipal government that is focused on establishing the necessary
infrastructure for a town of its size. Currently, the boundaries split
the Town of Stratford between the electoral districts of Hillsborough
and Cardigan.
The Cardigan electoral district has a variance from the electoral quota of
over 10 percent. The Commission examined various options and ultimately
determined that the Town of Stratford should not be split between two
electoral districts and that the community of interest and community of
identity is more effectively served by consolidating that town's electoral
representation within the electoral district of Cardigan.
Some consideration was given
to attaching the Town of Stratford to the Charlottetown electoral district.
However, this option is considered unworkable and would have resulted in four
anomalies:
(1) The population of
Charlottetown would then greatly exceed the electoral quota by over
14 percent.
(2) Cardigan would fall below
the electoral quota by 15.8 percent unless Cardigan was expanded west to attach
a large section of Malpeque.
(3) Stratford is separated
from the rest of Charlottetown by a natural boundary of the Hillsborough River.
(4) Two of the
three largest communities in the province would be in the same electoral
district, and none would be in the Cardigan electoral district.
Stratford is sufficiently
distinct to maintain its separation from Charlottetown. In addition to having
the Town of Stratford in the Cardigan electoral district, each of the four
electoral districts will have a significant community within its boundaries –
the Town of Stratford in Cardigan, the City of Charlottetown in the electoral
district of Charlottetown, the Town of Cornwall and its surrounding suburban
area in Malpeque, and the City of Summerside in Egmont. There is symmetry in having
each of the four electoral districts anchored with a strong municipal presence.
Ancillary Considerations
The Commission entertained the possibility of smoothing the electoral boundaries
to make cleaner lines from a geographical perspective; however, this would have
resulted in splitting suburban and rural communities without achieving corresponding
benefits. The Commission ultimately determined that the legislation and its
respect for community of interest is reflected through the observance of municipal
and rural community boundaries.
The proposed electoral boundaries provide for a negative variance from
the electoral quota of –4.67 percent and –2.25 percent in the
electoral districts of Charlottetown and Malpeque respectively. These
electoral districts continue to show the most population growth and the
Commission anticipates that those negative variances will diminish even
further over the next decade.
| Federal Electoral District |
Population 2001 |
Variance |
| Cardigan |
34,777 |
2.82% |
| Charlottetown |
32,245 |
–4.67% |
| Egmont |
35,208 |
4.09% |
| Malpeque |
33,064 |
–2.25% |
Public Contributions Invited
The Commission recognizes that the Proposals comprise significant readjustments
to the electoral boundaries. The proposed redistribution reflects the realities
of the changes which have occurred within the province. The Commission intends
that these recommendations represent the natural and logical evolution of the
redistribution process. Public input to the deliberations of the Commission
was welcomed.
Public Contributions Received
The Commission received seven notices of representation. Two of the scheduled
public hearings were held to entertain those representations, and the
other hearings were cancelled. The hearing in Stanley Bridge was held
as originally scheduled and the public hearing in Stratford took place
on Thursday, October 24, 2002.
Elections Prince Edward Island
appeared before the Commission and indicated support for the proposed alignment
of the federal electoral districts with municipal boundaries. One of their key
interests was to preserve the existing polling divisions which provide
consistency for electors. It is believed that consistency assures better voter
turnout. Currently the federal and provincial electoral districts share the
same polling divisions and the proposal of the Commission respects those polls.
In Stratford, the Commission received input that is very supportive of
the proposed changes. The Town of Stratford passed a resolution that endorses
the Commission's recommendations. The focus of the presentation made by
the town's Mayor urges the Commission to consolidate Stratford's community
of interest into one electoral district, and to do what it could to ensure
that future commissions would preserve the town's community of interest
within one federal electoral district.
Regarding the realignment of
Winsloe from Malpeque into the new electoral district of Charlottetown, the
Commission received input from six residents from the Malpeque electoral
district who objected to this change. The Commission appreciates this feedback;
however, it is not considered sufficiently persuasive to motivate amending our
proposal. All submissions centred on the argument that residents of the former
Community of Winsloe, which since amalgamation is now part of the City of
Charlottetown, have a stronger community of interest with the rural character
of Malpeque than with the urban nature of Charlottetown. While some areas of
Winsloe remain in agriculture or have a pastoral quality, there is significant
and increasing suburban density in Winsloe, and it is now part of the City of
Charlottetown. It is notable that the Community of Winsloe integrated into
Charlottetown in 1994 as a willing partner. The 1994 Provincial Government report
entitled "New Cities ... New Towns – A discussion paper outlining Government's
position with respect to municipal reform in the Charlottetown and Summerside
regions" states:
"With regard to 'Winsloe', given its current urban characteristics and
servicing requirements coupled with its potential urban characteristics
and service requirements, the government is of the view that Winsloe
is better served being part of the city rather than being left in
the 'buffer zone'. Based on consultation and recent public statements,
the Winsloe Council is in agreement with this position."
Recognizing that a community
council decision may not reflect the view of every community resident, the
Commission also determined that no resident of Winsloe made any representation
against the proposal.
Commission Decision
The Commission confirms its
Proposals, including the two substantive changes to the electoral districts:
(1) inclusion of all of the City of Charlottetown into the new electoral
district of Charlottetown; and
(2) inclusion of all of the Town of Stratford into the electoral district
of Cardigan.
Dated at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, this 6th day of January, 2003.
Honourable Justice David H. Jenkins
Chairman
John W. MacDonald
Member
Zita Roberts
Member
CERTIFIED copy of the Report of the Federal Electoral Boundaries
Commission for Prince Edward Island.
Michele Dorsey
Commission Secretary
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