Since it was first reported in the Times last week that the Rainy River District would be removed from the federal Kenora riding and joined to the Thunder Bay-Atikokan riding, the reality of the decision is starting to settle in—even if it is tough to accept.
“I can’t be anything but disappointed,” said MP Robert Nault last week upon hearing the news.
Nault had petitioned vehemently to convince the Electoral Boundaries Commission entrusted with readjusting Ontario’s federal electoral boundaries that the Rainy River District stay connected with Kenora. The commission disagreed.
“There’s not much we can do at this time,” Nault conceded, adding that maybe the decision will grow on us.
“There may be a different view in 10 years,” he said. “If not, we’ll go back to the commission.”
But for now, Fort Frances will be part of the Thunder Bay-Rainy River riding encompassing the territory stretching from Rainy River in the west to Thunder Bay in the east. That is a foregone conclusion.
The situation that now looms over this “riding in transition” is: When will the next federal election be, and what riding boundaries will it include?
“There is conversation going on that this will be fast-tracked,” said Nault of the time frame in which the riding changes would come into affect.
As prescribed by the legislation, once the Proclamation of the Draft Representation Order has been filed with Parliament—which it was on Monday—then the riding changes won’t come into affect until the end of the first dissolution of parliament one year after the Representation Order has been filed.
In other words not until sometime after Sept. 1, 2004.
However, if the order is fast-tracked by parliament, then a new date can be chosen.
“[Chief Electoral Officer Jean-Pierre] Kingsley thinks it can be implemented by April 1,” Nault added.
In a letter dated July 16, 2003 from Kingsley to MP Peter Adams, who sat on a parliamentary sub-committee that heard arguments from Nault opposing the commission’s riding changes, it was indicated that this might be possible.
“I have reviewed the feasibility of early implementation and would like to advise you that it would be possible for my office to implement this scenario by April 1, 2004; the feasibility of doing so would be dependent on certain conditions being met,” reads the letter from Kingsley.
Those conditions, three in total, included the timely passing of the recommendations from the parliamentary sub-committee, which was done earlier this month, and that the Proclamation Order be issued by the end of August, which has happened.
The third condition related to the appointment of electoral return officers. Kingsley explains in the letter that in every riding that changed, the electoral district will need to have new returning officers appointed to it.
“In order to implement the new boundaries by April 1, 2004, the appointment of the returning officers needs to be completed by mid-September 2003,” he writes.
Kingsley explains further that extensive training is required so they can perform their duties during an election and suggests that to make the transition smoother that as many existing returning officers by re-appointed as possible “minimizing the number of inexperienced returning officers.”
The issue of fast-tracking the implementation of the new boundaries would be a moot point if a federal election weren’t on the horizon.
Just in case you made the trip from Mars last night as it passed so close to earth and were unaware that Prime Minister Jean Chrétien is set to retire in the coming months, here’s the scenario:
Former Minister of Finance, MP Paul Martin, is projected to win the next Liberal leadership nomination scheduled for November and take the reigns of the country from Chrétien sometime next February. This will probably lead to a spring federal election, presuming Martin doesn’t want to be leader of the country without a mandate from the electorate.
But why push the implementation forward?
“I understand the thinking behind calling an election after the boundary redistribution,” said Richard Neumann, president of the Thunder Bay-Atikokan Federal Progressive Conservative Riding Association, adding it can make sense because an MP or candidate won’t want to campaign for areas they won’t represent after the boundaries are adjusted or vice versa.
“But that’s a political decision,” he continued. “It’s not based on democracy or representation.”
Neumann suggested that it should be Elections Canada pushing the early change in dates if it’s so important, adding that the Liberals are considering legislating the change for more selfish reasons—one of which is to look good to western constituents in provinces like Alberta and B.C. that are in line to gain more representation in the adjustment.
He suggested it is unfair to the cash strapped, smaller, parties to delay calling an election and then also suddenly change the date of the riding boundaries distribution as it puts pressure on them to effectively canvass a new, expanded riding.
“[It’s difficult being] constantly faced with expanding and changing ridings,” Neumann said, adding that it in this scenario the parties must look at deciding where best to spend their money, aiming it at the larger populated area where the most votes could be won. In the new riding, that would be in Thunder Bay, neglecting (for the most part) the west end of the riding.
In the interest of fairness, Neumann suggests the decision needs to come very soon.
“It needed to be decided a year ago,” he said of when the riding changes, whatever they might be, would take affect. “I sure would like to know tomorrow.”
In this way, he added, the Liberals would have answered to the date rather than dictate it to the detriment of everyone else.
“None of these other parties have the money to campaign as the Liberals do,” he said.
This might account for the fact that the Liberals are the only party that has officially declared candidates campaigning in the riding-currently the old riding that reaches to Atikokan.
“If the boundary changes are going to go through,” said Thunder Bay mayor Ken Boshcoff, who happens to be one of two candidates vying for the federal liberal nomination, “then I will work as hard as I possibly can to represent the region and be a regular visitor to all the communities.”
He and fellow liberal Don Paterson, a successful businessman out of Thunder Bay, have put their hats in the ring both vow to make a concerted effort to represent the Rainy River District end of the riding.
“I know many of the issues and concerns as the past president of NOMA and current president of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario and as a neighbour from the city of Thunder Bay,” Boshkoff added. “I also know many of the key players in terms of elected representation and have dealt with many issues in support of the region.”
“If you’re a Liberal in Fort Frances and you want to throw your name in, how do you jump in now?” questioned Neumann, who conceded both candidates are strong and would be tough to beat.
“The timing is rotten,” he continued, referring to moving the date for boundary redistribution.
He went on to say he’d like to see enough time to give people in this district not only a chance to get involved with the campaigning but to run if they wanted.
“I for sure would like to see a Fort Frances candidate,” he said. “I don’t see why a strong candidate can’t come from Fort Frances?
“I think the party that can make that point [run a rural candidate] will make some inroads [in the west end of the riding]; make a statement about their commitment to outlying areas,” he explained, conceding that as a party that hasn’t elected an MP for some time, he has the luxury of becoming more philosophical.
However, with the short time span, he also felt it would be difficult for anyone relatively unknown to Thunder Bay residents to make a run.
“This area seems to vote on the sense of name recognition more than some [other areas],” he said. “It would be a bit of a challenge.”
A concern Nault and many others had when fighting the decision in June. The fear of losing a political voice from the Rainy River District is a distinct possibility in this kind of climate.
But outgoing Fort Frances mayor Glenn Witherspoon has faith that things can work.
“Will we do as well as a municipality? After some learning curves, yeah, I’d say so,” he said of the riding change. “If your representative is interested in you, you’ll get your voice heard.”
“We must make sure our unique issues are shared [with the representatives],” added Tannis Drysdale, president of the Northwestern Ontario Associated of Chambers of Commerce.
She made the strong point that communication with all representatives, no matter the political stripe, is the only way to keep your issues top of mind, adding that it has helped her in her lobbying for NOACC.
“You don’t get very far sitting in the corner talking to yourself,” she added.
And it’s not like the riding will be starting completely over again.
“I don’t believe we’ll be entirely abandoned by Bob Nault,” Drysdale continued. “He’s had some very strong support from here.”
Even Nault vowed to keep working in the interest of the people of the district and Northwestern Ontario.
“It’s been an honour and a pleasure serving the Rainy River District for 15 years,” he said. “Although the Rainy River District will now have a new MP, I intend to work together with my colleague in order to ensure that Northwester Ontario continues to grow as a region.”
“He’s worked very hard and made himself very visible,” concluded Witherspoon. “Much more than our MPP. He’ll be tough to replace.”
Fort Frances Times
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