The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Manitoba has proposed a new electoral map for consideration at public hearings this September. This map introduces changes to Manitoba’s federal electoral district boundaries and has been developed through an independent and non-partisan process.
The Brandon Sun reports that “proposed changes for Westman include moving Virden and Carberry from Brandon/Souris to Dauphin/Swan River/Neepawa. The northern boundary for Brandon/Souris has moved south, both that riding and Dauphin/Swan River/Neepawa would extend further east into territory formerly part of Portage/Lisgar. The southeastern edge of Brandon/Souris would be almost directly to the south of Portage la Prairie, with Morden and Winkler much closer to the edge of the adjacent riding. Up north, Dauphin/Swan River/Neepawa would surrender a significant amount of land to the vast northern riding of Churchill/Keewatinook Aski.”
The proposal reflects Manitoba’s increase in population from 1,208,268 in 2011 to 1,342,153, as captured in the 2021 Census, and takes into consideration communities of interest or identity, and historic and geographic factors. The proposal can be found at https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/index_e.aspx
It will be published in the Canada Gazette on June 25, 2022.
Under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act, the Commission’s main aim in redrawing boundaries is to divide the province into 14 electoral districts that are as close to the electoral quota as reasonably possible, while taking into consideration the factors listed above.
The electoral quota is calculated by dividing the population of the province by the number of electoral districts it has been allocated. In the case of Manitoba, the quota for each electoral district is 95,868 (1,342,153 residents divided by 14 electoral districts).
A public hearing, the only one in Westman, will be held in Brandon at the Victoria Inn on September 8th beginningat 7:00 pm.
Everyone is invited to attend. If you wish to make a representation at a hearing, please send a notice of representation to the Commission no later than August 30, 2022. You can do so by:
– mailing it to the Commission’s office
– emailing MB@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca
– filling out the Public Hearing Notice Form
– using the Interactive Mapping Tool
Notices of representation should include:
– your name, address and contact information
– the organization you represent (if any)
– the date of the public hearing you wish to attend
– a short overview of the issue(s) you intend to address
– your official language of preference – and any accommodation you may need.
NOTE: If you wish to send comments and feedback to the Commission without attending a public hearing, you can do so by email, by mail or by using the Interactive Mapping Tool. To obtain a copy of the Commission’s proposal or to learn more about the redistribution of federal electoral districts, visit https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/index_e.aspx
(With the files from The Brandon Sun)
