Interim Report Released

Colin Dodds, chair of the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission, released the commission's Interim Report today, May 15.

Dr. Dodds said that he was pleased with the public's participation in the commission's first round of public hearings. A total of 14 public hearings were held over 12 days, which resulted in 73 written submissions to the commission, plus 72 presentations and comments at the public hearings.

Dr. Dodds encouraged people to come forward during the commission's second round of public hearings, which will be held between May 25 and June 3. Meeting locations will be advertised in newspapers.

The commission expects to file its final report with the House of Assembly by June 30.

The Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission has recommended the following major changes to the province's electoral boundaries:

• The commission recommends that the number of seats in the legislature remain at the current level of 52.

• The commission's recommendations would result in 49 of the 52 constituencies falling within the mandated ± factor of 25 per cent. Only the three constituencies for minority representation (Clare, Argyle, Preston) would be outside the ± factor.

• The commission recommends, based on the "extraordinary circumstances" clause for minority representation in its terms of reference, that the present constituencies of Clare, Argyle and Preston remain as they are currently constituted.

• The commission recommends a major redrawing of constituency boundaries inside Halifax Regional Municipality.

The commission recommends, given their numbers, that the communities of Bedford, Sackville and Cole Harbour serve as the core for individual ridings inside Halifax Regional Municipality.

The commission's recommendations will mean an addition of about two-and-a-half seats to Halifax Regional Municipality.

• The commission recommends that two of the current constituencies (Cape Breton The Lakes and Lunenburg West) be reallocated to areas of population growth.

• The commission recommends that the current constituency of Victoria be expanded to include the rural area of the former constituency of Cape Breton The Lakes. The new constituency will be called Victoria-The Lakes.

• The commission recommends that the town of Port Hawkesbury be moved to the current constituency of Richmond. The new constituency will be called Richmond-Port Hawkesbury.

• The commission recommends that the current constituency of Queens be expanded into Lunenburg County, creating a constituency to be called Queens-Lunenburg.

• The commission recommends that the remaining area in Lunenburg County be divided into two constituencies: a Lunenburg- Bridgewater constituency and a Lunenburg-Chester constituency.

• The commission recommends that the area of Inverness County north of the Cape Breton Highlands National Park be added to the current constituency of Inverness.

• The commission recommends that the Guysborough constituency be expanded west along the Eastern Shore of Halifax Regional Municipality to create a seat called Guysborough-Eastern Shore.

• The commission recommends that the boundary between Cumberland North and Cumberland South be changed.

Joining Dr. Dodds on the commission are Anne Dillman, Doug Hill, John Kitz, Ronald Landes, Hayden Landry, Andrew Molloy, Ian Spencer and Candace Thomas.

Further information and copies of the report are available from the commission's offices at 1601 Lower Water St., Halifax, or by calling 902-424-3725. The commission can also be contacted by fax, at 902-424-5872, or by e-mail, at [email protected] .

The full report is available on the commission's Web site, at www.nspebc.ca .