The boundaries of the Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan constituency could be reorganized to include a larger swath of southwest Saskatchewan as part of a regular revision of all federal constituencies.
By law, after each 10-year census, the federal electoral districts must be reviewed to reflect changes and movements in Canada’s population. The process is led by independent commissions working separately in each province to establish electoral boundaries.
The Honourable Justice Georgina Jackson, Dr. Bonita Beatty and Prof. Mark Carter comprise the three-member commission responsible for re-adjusting Saskatchewan’s federal boundaries.
Saskatchewan has 14 Members of Parliament, which means the province must be divided into 14 electoral ridings. Statistics Canada’s 2021 Census provides the basis for the redistribution of ridings under the Electoral Boundaries Readjustment Act.
Saskatchewan’s population grew by almost 100,000 people between 2011 and 2021 — to 1,132,505 from 1,033,381 — which means the ridings must be adjusted to reflect that change.
The population of Saskatchewan, divided by 14 ridings, gives an electoral quota for each constituency of 80,893 residents.
Changes to Moose Jaw’s riding
The Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan constituency had 76,106 residents in 2011, but the recent census shows that figure increased to 80,547, a jump of 5.84 per cent.
“By way of … recognition of the large geographical areas covered by Cypress Hills-Grasslands and, to some extent, Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan, the committee is proposing a possible reconfiguration of both of these electoral districts to establish two electoral districts running east and west rather than north and south,” the commission said.
“These districts would be named Kindersley-Rosetown and Moose Jaw-Swift Current-Grasslands.”
The commission has received several submissions criticizing the configuration of the current boundaries for both constituencies since they do not respect the communities’ interests. Furthermore, most concerns focused on the size of Cypress Hills-Grasslands, which would have to increase to reach the electoral quota if no adjustments were made.
That constituency is 77,831 square kilometres in size. The size of the Moose Jaw-Lake Centre-Lanigan constituency is 32,882 square kilometres.
“The commission proposes one district following the transportation corridor running through Swift Current and Moose Jaw almost to the outskirts of Regina and to be named Moose Jaw-Swift Current-Cypress Hills,” the commission said.
The population of this new constituency would be 85,464 people, a 5.66-per-cent variation from the electoral quota. The size of the new constituency would be 58,356 square kilometres, making it the third-largest federal riding in Saskatchewan.
Public input
The Saskatchewan Electoral Boundaries Commission is looking for public input on proposed changes to the province’s federal constituencies. It has scheduled 14 public and one virtual hearing, starting on Monday, June 20 and concluding on Thursday, July 14.
Anyone can participate in the hearings, from individuals to associations to elected representatives to municipalities and other parties.
In Moose Jaw, the in-person sitting will be held at the Heritage Inn on Friday, July 8, from 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Notice of participation or representation should include name, address and contact information; the organization being represented (if any); the date of the hearing one wishes to attend; a short overview of the issues to be addressed; the language of preference; and any accommodations.
Participants should submit this information to the commission no later than Monday, June 13, through its website at redistribution2022.ca. Submissions can be sent:
- By mail to Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan at P.O. Box 21031, Gardiner Park, Regina, Sask., S4V 0Y0
- By email at SK@redecoupage-federal-redistribution.ca
- Filling out the public hearing notice form
- Using the interactive mapping tool
The latter two methods can be done through the website.
