From the office of MP Leslyn Lewis
To The Haldimand Press
HALDIMAND—Elections Canada has undertaken the responsibility of redrawing riding boundaries, as established in the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, a process that is scheduled to take place every 10 years. The commission responsible for redrawing the riding boundaries in Ontario has released their proposal for the province, including the riding of Haldimand-Norfolk.
The commission proposes that the district of Haldimand-Norfolk would be renamed Haldimand-Norfolk-Six Nations. The commission has recommended that the communities of Mississaugas of the Credit, Six Nations, and Tillsonburg be added to the district and that Haldimand communities east of Haldimand-Dunnville Townline Road, including Canborough, Attercliffe Station, Lowbanks, Port Maitland, Stromness, and Dunnville be included in the district of Niagara West.
“As your MP, a resident, and as someone who cares deeply about our community, I’m disappointed in the proposed changes,” said Lewis. “The commission’s proposal shifts the balance of the riding population heavily to the west end, leaving Haldimand’s voice reduced. Also, the removal of largely rural populations, and the addition of the more urban and rapidly growing Tillsonburg, dilutes representation in the House of Commons for truly rural ridings.”
“The commission seems to have overlooked the fact that there are shared services at all levels of government within Haldimand-Norfolk, separate from service delivery in Niagara and Oxford, and that there are strong community bonds in Haldimand County and that the proposed changes would diminish their ability to advocate to elected representatives with a unified voice.”
MP Lewis is proposing to the commission that the entire County of Haldimand remain within its existing boundaries, thereby keeping the town of Dunnville and surrounding area included in the new electoral district. Her proposal also recommends that the town of Tillsonburg remain as a part of an Oxford County riding.
To that effect, she is calling on residents to make sure their voice is heard by the Ontario commission, by either submitting a proposal directly, or by adding their names to be included in her written submission.
The deadline to have submissions into the Ontario commission is October 29.
Those interested in participating can visit leslynlewismp.ca/redistribution for more.
