Legislation on riding redistribution passed

The changes to the federal electoral boundaries became official last Thursday when the legislation received royal assent.
Under the legislation, the old Kenora-Rainy River riding has been severed, with Rainy River District joining with the former Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding to form Thunder Bay-Rainy River.
Kenora, meanwhile, becomes a stand-alone riding.
Electoral boundaries are re-evaluated by the Electoral Boundaries Commission every 10 years to reflect changing populations across the country.
Kenora-Rainy River MP Bob Nault strongly opposed the changes—first proposed last April—but to no avail. The commission made its final decision in August.
The changes were to have come into effect Aug. 25, 2004, but the Liberal government introduced legislation to move that date up to April 1—presumably to put the riding changes into effect in time for a possible spring election.
Provinces in Western Canada will gain extra seats in the House of Commons as a result of the redistribution.
The bill had passed first reading in the Senate last fall, but then died on the order paper when former prime minister Jean Chrétien prorogued Parliament in November.
It then was fast-tracked through the House when it resumed sitting last month.
With the legislation passed, the new electoral district boundaries will come into effect at the next dissolution of Parliament, on or after April 1, 2004.
Prime Minister Paul Martin must dissolve Parliament before calling an election, which means the new boundaries will be in effect for the next one.
There’s no word whether the provincial riding of Kenora-Rainy River will be changed to reflect the new federal electoral boundaries.