FINAL REPORT 2008 Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission Winnipeg, Manitoba December 2008
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FINAL REPORT 2008 Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission Winnipeg, Manitoba December 2008 An electronic copy of this report is available online at: www.boundariescommission.mb.ca Map data is also available in shapefi le format by calling 204-945-8194. 2008 BOUNDARIES COMMISSION COMMISSION DE LA DIVISION ÉLECTORALE 2008 Richard J. Scott Chairperson Président Honourable Chief Justice of Manitoba Monsieur le juge en chef du December 22, 2008 Manitoba Richard D. Balasko The Honourable John Harvard, P.C., O.M. The Honourable George Hickes Chief Electoral Officer Lieutenant Governor of Manitoba Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Directeur général des élections Room 235, Legislative Building Room 244, Legislative Building Denise K. Henning, Ph.D. Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0V8 Winnipeg, Manitoba R3C 0V8 President and Vice-Chancellor University College of the North Rectrice du Collège universitaire du Your Honours: Nord Richard Sigurdson, Ph.D. Pursuant to section 10(1) of The Electoral Divisions Act, the Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission has the Dean, Faculty of Arts honour of submitting its fi nal report to establish the area, boundaries and names of the electoral divisions University of Manitoba within our province. Doyen de la Faculté des arts Louis Visentin, Ph.D. Section 10(3) of the Act states that the speaker must promptly table the report in the Assembly if the President and Vice-Chancellor Assembly is sitting. If the Assembly is not sitting, the Speaker must table it within seven days after the next Brandon University sitting begins. Section 10(4) further states that if the Assembly is not sitting, the Clerk of the Assembly must Recteur de l'Université de Brandon give a copy of the report to each member of the Assembly. Respectfully submitted, Richard J. Scott, Chairperson Chief Justice of Manitoba Richard D. Balasko Dr. Denise K. Henning Chief Electoral Offi cer of Manitoba President and Vice-Chancellor University College of the North Dr. Richard Sigurdson Dr. Louis Visentin Dean, Faculty of Arts President and Vice-Chancellor University of Manitoba Brandon University 120-200 Vaughan Street t: 204.945.8194 Winnipeg, Manitoba toll free: 866.926.0713 R3C 1T5 f: 204.948.3260 120-200 rue Vaughan téléphone : 204.945.8194 Winnipeg (Manitoba) Sans frais : 866.926.0713 R3C 1T5 téléc : 204.948.3260 [email protected] | www.boundariescommission.mb.ca TABLE OF CONTENTS LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL ..................................................................................................................................................................3 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................................................................7 MANDATE .............................................................................................................................................................................................................8 PROCESS................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 FINAL DECISIONS .....................................................................................................................................................................................11 CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS ...................................................................................................................................................14 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ......................................................................................................................................................................15 APPENDIX A ....................................................................................................................................................................................................16 Member Biographies APPENDIX B ....................................................................................................................................................................................................17 Public Participation APPENDIX C ....................................................................................................................................................................................................18 TABLE A - Populations and Deviations for Electoral Divisions in Winnipeg ............................................................................18 TABLE B - Populations and Deviations for Electoral Divisions Outside Winnipeg .............................................................19 APPENDIX D ................................................................................................................................................................................................. 20 Legal Descriptions for Electoral Divisions in Winnipeg .........................................................................................................................20 Legal Descriptions for Electoral Divisions outside of Winnipeg ......................................................................................................28 5 INTRODUCTION COMMISSION OVERVIEW The Electoral Divisions Boundaries Commission reviews and, where necessary, makes changes to the names and boundaries of Manitoba’s electoral divisions pursuant to The Electoral Divisions Act. As the population of Manitoba changes, it is necessary to review electoral boundaries to ensure eff ective representation for everyone. If an electoral division has an increase or decrease in the population, the boundaries for that electoral division may need to change. In determining the area and boundaries of any electoral division, the Commission not only considers population factors, but also human factors such as special diversity or community of interests of the people who live there. The Commission is non-political and independent of government. The boundaries review is a consultative process and the Commission benefi ts greatly from comments and concerns expressed by the public via public hearings or written submissions. In determining the area and The Commission meets every 10 years and uses the most recent census data (the 2008 Commission used 2006 boundaries of any electoral census data compiled by Statistics Canada). The Commission must submit its report by December 31, 2008. The last boundary review had been in 1998. division, the Commission not COMMISSION MEMBERS only considers population factors, but also human factors Legislative Requirements The members of the Commission are members by virtue of the offi ces they hold. Section 8(2) of The Electoral such as any special diversity Divisions Act specifi es the membership of the Commission as follows: the Chief Justice of Manitoba, the President of each of the University of Manitoba, Brandon University and the University College of the North, or community of interests and the Chief Electoral Offi cer of Manitoba. of the people who live there. Section 8(6) of The Electoral Divisions Act states that if the Commission is required to perform or is performing duties under The Electoral Divisions Act and there is a vacancy on the Commission or any member is unable to act for any reason, his or her membership on the Commission will be fi lled by the following persons: a. In the case of the Chief Justice of Manitoba, by the Chief Justice of the Queen’s Bench; b. In the case of a university president, by the dean of the faculty of arts of that university; c. In the case of the Chief Electoral Offi cer, by the Deputy Chief Electoral Offi cer. When the present Commission was being constituted, it was known that the President of the University of Manitoba would be leaving her position eff ective July 1, 2008, at a time when the Commission would have started, but not fi nished its work. If the new President of the University of Manitoba had been required to assume membership on the Commission in July, 2008, he would have had little or no knowledge of the Commission’s prior work. Accordingly, pursuant to Section 8(6) of The Electoral Divisions Act, the Dean of the Faculty of Arts of the University of Manitoba assumed membership on the Commission instead of the President of the University. The biographies of the members of the Commission are included as Appendix “A” to this report. 7 MANDATE LEGISLATION The Commission is governed by The Electoral Divisions Act, relevant portions of which are highlighted throughout this fi nal report. The Electoral Divisions Act is available, free of charge and in full, from a number of sources. It can be viewed online at Manitoba Laws at http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws or on the Commission’s website at http://www.boundariescommission.mb.ca or at the Legislative Library, or at any public library. GUIDING PRINCIPLES The right to vote is more The right to vote is more than the right to cast a ballot. The right to vote is grounded in the right to eff ective than the right to cast a ballot. representation, a concept which should not be confused with absolute voter parity. In addition to considering certain factors which can impact the achievement of eff ective representation, the Commission is also required The right to vote is grounded to respect the statutory framework for population deviations between electoral divisions. in the right to eff ective The broad principles which guide the Commission cannot be read in isolation.