Electoral Boundaries Re-Adjustment Process
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CITY CLERK Clause embodied in Report No. 12 of the Administration Committee, as adopted by the Council of the City of Toronto at its meeting held on October 1, 2 and 3, 2002. 5 Electoral Boundaries Re-Adjustment Process (City Council on October 1, 2 and 3, 2002, amended this Clause by adding thereto the following: “It is further recommended that the Electoral Boundaries Commission: (1) be advised of City Council’s support for the rationalization of the Federal riding boundaries (Wards 17, 21 and 15) along Eglinton Avenue West and Oakwood Avenue; and (2) be requested to reconsider the splitting of the area south of Dundas Street West, particularly between Dufferin Street and the railway tracks.”) The Administration Committee recommends the adoption of the report (August 23, 2002) from the Chief Administrative Officer subject to: (I) amending Recommendation No. (2) by adding after the word “designate” the words “the Chair of the Administration Committee and the Chair of the City’s Civic Participation Initiative”, so that Recommendation No. (2) now reads as follows: “(2) the Mayor or his designate, the Chair of the Administration Committee and the Chair of the City’s Civic Participation Initiative, make a representation, based on the principles and analysis contained in this report, to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario at the public hearings to be held in Toronto on November 22, December 9 and December 10, 2002; (II) amending Recommendation No. (3) to read as follows: “(3) the Federal government be requested to amend the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act so as to reduce the permissible variance from the provincial electoral quotient (i.e., population divided by number of electoral districts) to plus or minus five percent; and that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities be requested to advocate for this change; (III) amending Recommendation No. (5) to read as follows: “(5) the Provincial government be requested to amend the Representation Act, 1996 to provide that the population of all electoral districts for the Ontario legislature be within plus or minus five percent of the provincial electoral quotient; and Toronto City Council 2 Administration Committee October 1, 2 and 3, 2002 Report No. 12, Clause No. 5 (IV) amending Recommendation No. (6) to read follows: “(6) the Chief Administrative Officer monitor voting trends in the City of Toronto’s electoral districts to determine whether there is any relationship between electoral district variance and voter turnout and, if so, whether certain communities face particularly severe electoral disadvantage; so that the Recommendations now read as follows: “It is recommended that: (1) the concept of “effective representation for urban Canadians” serve as the basis of the City of Toronto’s position on the federal and provincial electoral boundaries readjustment process; (2) the Mayor or his designate, the Chair of the Administration Committee and the Chair of the City’s Civic Participation Initiative, make a representation, based on the principles and analysis contained in this report, to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario at the public hearings to be held in Toronto on November 22, December 9 and December 10, 2002; (3) the Federal government be requested to amend the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act so as to reduce the permissible variance from the provincial electoral quotient (i.e., population divided by number of electoral districts) to plus or minus five percent; and that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities be requested to advocate for this change; (4) the Federal government be requested to amend s.51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 by eliminating the Representation Act, 1985 “grandfather clause” provision which mandates that no province shall have fewer representatives in the House of Commons than it did during the 33rd Parliament; (5) the Provincial government be requested to amend the Representation Act, 1996 to provide that the population of all electoral districts for the Ontario legislature be within plus or minus five percent of the provincial electoral quotient; (6) the Chief Administrative Officer monitor voting trends in the City of Toronto’s electoral districts to determine whether there is any relationship between electoral district variance and voter turnout and, if so, whether certain communities face particularly severe electoral disadvantage; (7) the Chief Administrative Officer review the forthcoming proposal to be issued by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario to determine whether or not it may be necessary for the City to take further action; Toronto City Council 3 Administration Committee October 1, 2 and 3, 2002 Report No. 12, Clause No. 5 (8) copies of this report be distributed to the Prime Minister, Federal cabinet members, MPs from Ontario, the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, MPPs representing the GTA, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario, and the Big City Mayors’ Caucus; and (9) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto. The Administration Committee reports, for the information of Council, having forwarded a copy of the report (August 23, 2002) from the Chief Administrative Officer respecting Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Process to the Intergovernmental Affairs Committee for information. The Administration Committee submits the following report (August 23, 2002) from the Chief Administrative Officer: Purpose: The purpose of this report is to recommend a position and actions that the City of Toronto can take to ensure that its interests with respect to electoral boundaries readjustment are fully considered by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario, Members of Parliament and other relevant parties. Financial Implications and Impact Statement: There are no direct financial implications arising from the recommendations in this report. Recommendations: It is recommended that: (1) the concept of “effective representation for urban Canadians” serve as the basis of the City of Toronto’s position on the federal and provincial electoral boundaries readjustment process; (2) the Mayor or his designate make a representation, based on the principles and analysis contained in this report, to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario at the public hearings to be held in Toronto on November 22, December 9 and December 10, 2002; (3) the Federal government be requested to amend the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act so as to reduce the permissible variance from the provincial electoral quotient (i.e., population divided by number of electoral districts) to plus or minus 10 percent, unless exceptional circumstances justify a larger deviation; and that the Federation of Canadian Municipalities be requested to advocate for this change; Toronto City Council 4 Administration Committee October 1, 2 and 3, 2002 Report No. 12, Clause No. 5 (4) the Federal government be requested to amend s.51 of the Constitution Act, 1867 by eliminating the Representation Act, 1985 “grandfather clause” provision which mandates that no province shall have fewer representatives in the House of Commons than it did during the 33rd Parliament; (5) the Provincial government be requested to amend the Representation Act, 1996 to provide that the population of all electoral districts for the Ontario legislature be within plus or minus 10 percent of the provincial electoral quotient, unless exceptional circumstances justify otherwise; (6) the City Clerk monitor voting trends in the City of Toronto’s electoral districts to determine whether there is any relationship between electoral district variance and voter turnout and, if so, whether certain communities face particularly severe electoral disadvantage; (7) the Chief Administrative Officer review the forthcoming proposal to be issued by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario to determine whether or not it may be necessary for the City to take further action; (8) copies of this report be distributed to the Prime Minister, Federal cabinet members, MPs from Ontario, the Premier of Ontario, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, MPPs representing the GTA, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, the Association of Municipalities of Ontario, the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario, and the Big City Mayors’ Caucus; and (9) the appropriate City officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto. Background: On May 21, 22 and 23, 2002, Council adopted Administration Committee Report No. 6(6)(d), which requested the Chief Administrative Officer, in consultation with the City Solicitor, to: (I) Report on the Riding Boundary Adjustment Process and other legislation which affects the representative equality of electors of the City of Toronto, and (II) Develop a position based on the “one person, one vote” principle for presentation to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Ontario, the Government of Canada, the Large Urban Mayors’ Caucus of Ontario, the Big City Mayors’ Caucus, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. On August 17, 2002, the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission (FEBC) for Ontario released its proposal for the readjustment of federal electoral districts in Ontario. This report responds to Council’s request and