ALGOMA-MANITOULIN-KAPUSKASING—Federal NDP members of parliament in Northern Ontario will be opposing the Ontario Federal Electoral Boundary Commission’s final report on electoral boundaries that proposes Northeastern Ontario would lose one member of parliament. The Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing riding would effectively disappear with its southeastern portion joining a larger Nickel Belt riding, to be renamed Manitoulin-Nickel Belt.
“We are opposing it, and hopefully the commission will see their way to changing their minds,” stated Carol Hughes, MP for Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing after an NDP caucus meeting last week. “We will be requesting that we be able to make a presentation to the House of Commons procedure committee and from there that committee makes a recommendation to the electoral boundary commission on possible changes.”
MP Hughes pointed out at this time, “I talked to federal Liberal MPs yesterday and their chair of the Northern Ontario caucus who indicated not all their MPs were there for the meeting. There is a 30-day period after the proposal was tabled, to submit opposition. I’m assuming they will. At this point the one Conservative MP in Northern Ontario (Kenora-Rainy River) is happy with the changes made in the boundary commission report.”
MP Hughes explained, “it’s not about remaining status quo, but keeping the 10 seats in Northern Ontario and seeing where they can fit in another seat in Northern Ontario in the proposed base.”
“I’ve asked the party to look at what the commission has proposed and make adjustments to keep 10 seats in the North,” continued MP Hughes. “We will also be ramping up our campaign to have municipalities send letters of opposition to the electoral boundary commission. We know NEMI council wrote a letter previously opposing the changes being proposed, and we have received a letter from the Chamber of Commerce in Kapuskasing that are against the changes. We have also been receiving feedback from individuals in opposition to the changes.”
“We will also be initiating petitions raising awareness on what is being proposed and requesting support on our opposition to the changes,” said MP Hughes.
Al MacNevin, mayor of the Town of Northeastern Manitoulin and the Islands told The Expositor, “Yes, council is against the proposed changes. We sent a letter (September 28, 2022) to MP Hughes opposing the electoral boundary commission proposed to remove one of the electoral ridings for Northern Ontario. In our motion and letter we encouraged all municipalities to file their concerns.” He said when commission hearings were held, with only one meeting in this area, in Timmins, NEMI attended virtually.
“At the minimum we would lose our current riding and MP. We would end up in the Nickel Belt riding. MP Marc Serre has already quoted as saying it would take another three hours to travel through the riding with Manitoulin and area being included,” said Mayor MacNevin.
“Certainly we would not be impressed with losing a voice in the North,” stated Ken Noland, reeve of Gordon/Barrie Island. “I don’t see any positives for this area with the loss of our MP and there are certainly lots of concerns.”
Dan Osborne, deputy mayor for the Town of Gore Bay said, “I don’t agree with the changes being proposed. I understand the population growth in our riding has not kept up to what southern Ontario is seeing and is leading these changes. Is it good for us? No.”
