Saskatchewan’s mixed urban-rural ridings will be nearly eliminated under “significant” changes proposed by the boundary commission and tabled yesterday in the House of Commons.
Only Regina Qu’Appelle, currently held by House Speaker Andrew Scheer, would remain as a blended district among the province’s 14 ridings.
Saskatoon and Regina would receive three and two urban ridings, respectively. In the former, Saskatoon-University, Saskatoon-Grasswood, and Saskatoon West, while in the latter, Regina-Lewvan and Regina-Wascana.
MAP: Saskatchewan
MAP: Regina
MAP: Saskatoon
Another riding would be mainly urban (Prince Albert), while the other seven would encompass rural areas; several have been enlarged to account for the new urban boundaries.
However, the decision was not unanimous amongst the three-member board. David Marit, president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, filed a dissenting report against his two colleagues. He said their recommendations would have a "negative impact not only on our communities, but on the province as a whole."
Marit's letter opposes the shift from blended rural-urban ridings and calls for a reduced number of big city-only districts.
Saskatchewan's 2002 boundary commission backed away from separated urban and rural ridings (six and eight, respectively) after negative reaction at public hearings.
Saskatoon and Regina grew faster than the rest of the province over the past decade. Overall, the provincial population jumped 5.56 per cent between 2001 and 2011. The four fastest-growing ridings were of the mixed urban-rural variety: Blackstrap, Saskatoon—Humboldt, Saskatoon—Wanuskewin, and Wascana.
Saskatchewan has a population of 1,033,381, as of the 2011 census, for an average of 73,813 per riding.
THE PROCESS
Independent commissions were established in each province to consider the electoral map based on the 2011 census. Thirty new ridings are also being created in Ontario, Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta.
Commissioners, appointed by each province's chief justice and the Speaker of the House of Commons, consider geography, history, and population in crafting their proposed boundary changes. Public hearings followed, along with future study by a parliamentary committee for any comments and objections.
From the Manitoba commission report: "MPs will have a further opportunity to offer suggestions on the map within a committee of the House of Commons, but the final decision rests with the Commission."
The final map is provided to the Chief Electoral Officer. The three territories will continue to hold one seat each.
THE LEGISLATION
The formula for determining seats has been adjusted several times since Confederation. Notably, no province can have fewer MPs than Senators, and no province can have fewer seats than they had in 1976.
The opposition NDP proposed their own bill to ensure that Quebec's proportion would remain at the same level (24.35 per cent) as 2006, when the Québécois nation resolution passed. Under Bill C-20, Quebec's proportion of seats falls to 23.08 per cent of the House of Commons.
The Liberals, meanwhile, were worried about the transparency of the electoral commissions and how individuals would be appointed. They opposed both the Conservative and NDP bills, calling for a rebalance of the Commons without any additional seats.
-Andrew Thomson
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