REGINA — Some major changes could be coming to federal boundaries in Saskatchewan in the next federal election.
The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan has released its proposal for a new electoral map for the province. The proposed map released this week features changes to the 14 electoral boundaries in the province, with the next step being public hearings across the province to gain feedback.
According to their website, the boundaries are designed to come as close to the electoral quota as reasonably possible, taking into consideration communities of interest or identity, and historic and geographic factors. The electoral quota for each district is calculated to be 80,893, but could deviate somewhat depending on those factors.
Based on those considerations, a number of current ridings could see dramatic changes.
Major changes coming to some rural ridings
Among the current ridings seeing the most dramatic change will be Carlton Trail - Eagle Creek currently held by Conservative MP Kelly Block. That riding is being eliminated, with much of that area to be covered by a new and reconfigured Saskatoon - Wanuskewin riding.
This electoral district would include a portion of north Saskatoon outside and to the north of Circle Drive, as well as a large rural area surrounding the north, east and west of Saskatoon including the communities of Warman, Martensville and Humboldt.
Almost all the rest of the area that encompasses Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek to the south would become part of a new riding, Kindersley-Rosetown, named after the two largest communities in the district.
Two other ridings that are being impacted considerably are Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan and Cypress Hills-Grasslands. The Commission had noted they received several submissions criticizing the configurations as not respecting the communities of interest in this part of the province; the large size of Cypress Hills - Grassland was also criticized.
To address those concerns, the commission is proposing creating the riding of Swift Current-Moose Jaw-Grasslands, which the Commission states would follow the transportation corridor from outside Regina all the way to the Alberta border.
Saskatoon ridings are also seeing a potential major change. Being considered is creation of an electoral district called Saskatoon Centre, which would include most of the centre of the city bordered almost entirely by Circle Drive.
The commission is proposing the change based on feedback. The commission states they had received 17 written submissions supporting the creation of a central Saskatoon riding.
Saskatoon Grasswood would be reconfigured to include Saskatoon neighbourhoods to the south and east of Circle Drive as well as neighbourhoods east of Circle Drive that are presently within the Saskatoon West electoral district. The Saskatoon University riding would be reconfigured as well.
In Regina, the three existing ridings Regina-Lewvan, Regina-Wascana and Regina-Qu’Appelle would see some boundary changes, with the geographical size of the latter riding being reduced so there is less rural area.
The other major change, which will impact several ridings, is a plan to reduce the large size of the northern riding of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, which currently encompasses 54 per cent of the province.
A reduction in size would involve deviating from the electoral quota for the district, with the Commission noting that the “large geographic size of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River, coupled with its cultural and linguistic mix, could be viewed as extraordinary circumstances justifying a variation from the quota by -43.72 per cent.”
The cultural makeup of the riding was seen as setting the riding apart, with the “First Nation, Métis and Dene peoples of this subarctic region share an historically distinct and contemporary northern, land-based way of life, with their own history, culture, spiritual and social values, languages and economies.”
Even with the adjustment, the riding would still occupy 50 per cent of the landmass of the province, and still include within its boundaries the major communities of La Ronge and Meadow Lake.
Other ridings of Battlefords-Lloydminster, Prince Albert, and Yorkton-Melville would see their boundaries adjusted to take in some areas formerly part of Desnethé-Missinippi-Churchill River.
Souris-Moose Mountain would also see some adjustment to take in some areas due to the reduction in size of Regina-Qu’Appelle.
Hearing schedule released
It should be noted the riding boundaries are not set in stone, and could be adjusted further following the commission’s hearings scheduled for Saskatchewan communities in the coming months.
Hearings are set to take place in June and July in communities across the province. The first hearings are at the Sheraton Cavalier in Saskatoon on June 20 and 21.
Next is Prince Albert on June 22, La Ronge on June 24, Meadow Lake on June 27, North Battleford on June 28, Kindersley June 29, and Swift Current June 30.
The next month, the commission will hold hearings July 5 and 6 at the Holiday Inn and Suites on Prince of Wales Drive in Regina.
The remaining hearings are set for July 7 in Fort Qu’Appelle, July 8 in Moose Jaw, July 11 in Yorkton, July 12 in Weyburn, and finally on July 14 which will be held virtually.
More details on the Commission and the proposed Saskatchewan boundaries can be found at https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/sk/med/may0922_e.aspx .
