Dufferin-Caledon to stay as is

March 20, 2013 · 0 Comments

By Bill Rea
Electoral riding boundaries in Ontario are going to be changed, but Dufferin-Caledon is going to be left alone.
That was good news recently for both MP David Tilson and MPP Sylvia Jones.
The body responsible for readjusting electoral boundaries in Ontario reported to the House of Commons after receiving 1,078 submissions and holding 31 public hearings in the province. The result was a substantial number of changes to the electoral map and the creation of 15 new electoral districts.
“Ridings all around us have changed,” a delighted Tilson declared. “However the boundaries of Dufferin-Caledon remain unchanged.”
According to the report, at the public hearing in Barrie last fall, the Commission heard persuasive objections to its proposal to adjust population by crossing county lines, notably in assigning the Township of Mulmur and the north half of the township of Uxbridge to electoral districts beyond their county boundaries. There was one common thread of opinion Tilson pointed out — people are significantly more concerned about community of interest and historical attachment than correspondence with provincial quota.
“Clearly this process has worked as intended,” he said. “The Commission made a recommendation, the residents provided a thoughtful and impressive objection and the Commission adjusted their report to reflect the status quo. It doesn’t get any better than this.”
Jones was pleased as well, calling the Commission’s report “good news.”
She said she had been told in the fall that the Commission had backed off the idea of cutting Mulmur out of the riding.
“I’m pleased with the boundaries as they’re now staying,” she remarked.
She added the changes that had been discussed were really not necessary.
“It was one small municipality that was going to be removed from the rest of the county,” she observed.
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