Powell River will officially join an expanded riding on Vancouver Island for the next federal election.
BC Federal Boundaries Commission released its final report last week on riding boundaries in the province. It decided to keep Powell River in the Vancouver Island North-Comox-Powell River riding, despite widespread objections from federal, provincial and local government elected officials. Currently, Powell River is part of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country.
In explaining its decision, the commission noted it was driven by “numerical considerations.” It was aware of the historical links between Powell River and the lower Sunshine Coast and acknowledged that “alteration of an established district will always occasion some disruption.”
However, the commission pointed out only one ferry was involved if Powell River was part of Vancouver Island North, while two ferries are needed when it is part of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country. “The decision to include Powell River in Vancouver Island North-Comox-Powell River should in no way diminish access between MP and constituents, but may in the event actually enhance accessibility,” the commission’s report stated.
The new map is expected to be in effect by April 2014. Prime Minister Stephen Harper is expected to call the next federal election in October 2015.
Click here to view the full size map.
Four MPs filed separate but complementary objections to the commission’s proposal, including John Weston, MP for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country, and John Duncan, MP for Vancouver Island North.
The fact the commission chose a different direction demonstrates that it is independent, said Duncan. “From a community of interest standpoint, I know we can make it work, because Powell River does have a lot of similarities to the north island, in terms of its history, its dependency on the resource sector and its view of the rest of the world,” he said.
However, Duncan said he was disappointed with the commission’s decision. “I worked closely with the mayor of Courtenay, the mayor of Powell River and four other members of Parliament to get us all on the same song sheet,” he said. “Not only did we agree on boundaries, we offered the commission a solution with no domino effect outside of our solution that actually has better population variances than what they’re recommending,” he said.
Duncan, who said he is planning on seeking re-election, represented North Island from 1993 to 1997, which at the time included the Lower Sunshine Coast and went as far north as Bella Coola. “This is actually much more manageable,” he said. “I’m optimistic we can make this work and work well.”
Weston said he regrets that Powell River will no longer be in the riding. “I have come to love Powell River,” he said. “I was on the phone with your mayor only the night before. We’re working hard on some really ambitious projects that could only come about because there’s great cooperation between municipal government and federal government and the provincial representative.”
That work won’t stop, Weston said, adding he’s going to be “enthusiastically continuing his representation of Powell River right up to the last minute.”
With six new seats in BC, inevitably ridings like West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country would be reduced in size, Weston pointed out. The riding has gone from 130,000 people down to 112,000. “It was a numbers game,” he said.
City of Powell River Mayor Dave Formosa said he was saddened that Powell River would be split from the Lower Sunshine Coast. “I’m not shocked,” he said. “We tried hard to keep the status quo, but it didn’t work out. We just have to accept it and look forward to working with whoever after 2015.”
Weston told him that he would work “up to the last day vigourously” for Powell River, Formosa said. “I take him at his word because we work very closely with John and we are right now on two projects,” he said. “I was happy to know he’s not going to let go and he’ll continue as hard as he is right to the last day.”
He has already started building a relationship with Duncan, Formosa added. “Through this process, I got to know John Duncan and that’s a good thing,” he said.
