I doubt there’ll be as much fireworks at this review of provincial electoral boundaries as there will be next Monday when hearings are held into proposed changes to the federal electoral boundaries. The main bone of contention here is the three extra seats that the Sask. Party government needlessly added to the existing 58 seats in the Saskatchewan Legislature which will balloon the number of MLAs to 61.
I don’t know if it’s in the mandate of the commission to review, but if it is, some presenters might also question why the government felt compelled to restrict population counts in ridings to residents who are 18 years and older. At the federal level, population counts in ridings include both eligible voters and children under the age of 18. That makes a certain amount of sense because while children don’t vote, they theoretically are supposed to be represented in the Parliament by their MP. But for some reason the Sask. Party felt the need to exclude children from consideration in this portion of the democratic process.
The hearing to review proposed changes to the province’s electoral riding map goes Wednesday at the scaffold-encased Court of Queen’s Bench (2425 Victoria Ave.) from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. For more information call 1-855-676-7707.
I just got my letter to present before the federal boundaries commission, but they slotted me in for the second hearing, September 22, which I cannot do!! So now all I can do is submit in writing my support of these boundary corrections. This is disappointing – It’s also crazy they had so many submissions that they had to add a second day. I really, really hope the pro-correction forces got their stuff together this time.
Yeah, I was also assigned Monday, September 22 as the day I’m to present.
Only, the 22nd is a Saturday.
Actually, the Saturday would be more convenient for me as I wouldn’t have to find babysitting. But somehow I think they meant the 24th.
I’m not sure which day they meant now! I’ve already declined the 22nd. Hmm.
CHECK IT OUT!!!
UPDATES:
Location Date Time
Regina, Ramada Hotel and Convention Centre
1818 Victoria Avenue Monday, September 17, 2012 9:00 a.m. (NEW)
Swift Current, Credit Union iPlex
2001 Chaplin Street East Tuesday, September 18, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Weyburn, Royal Canadian Legion
150 3rd Street Northeast Wednesday, September 19, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Fort Qu’Appelle, Treaty Four Governance Centre
740 Sioux Avenue South Thursday, September 20, 2012 10:00 a.m.
Regina, Ramada Hotel and Convention Centre
1818 Victoria Avenue
(NEW) Friday, September 21, 2012 9:00 a.m.
Regina, Ramada Hotel and Convention Centre
1818 Victoria Avenue
(NEW) Saturday, September 22, 2012 9:00 a.m.
Saskatoon, Radisson Hotel
405 20th Street East
(NEW) Monday, October 1, 2012 9:00 a.m.
Great. Now I have no idea when they expect us to show up.
Greg’s post refers to provincial stuff, of course. The Sask Party adding three MLAs in Sask Party-friendly areas so they can stay in government forever. Right?
Brad Wall is an easy man for easy times. I’d like to see him Premier Michigan. Or Ohio. Or Ontario. His entire first term flew by like a non-eventful month out of my life. Great strategy of do little, say nothing, act a little whimsical, lay super low, and cruise to 3 terms.
Maybe the clarical error is an attempt to disrupt support of the boundary corrections? It would keen to know if anti-correction forces also received confusing letters.