Procedure and House Affairs Committee on Feb. 12th, 2013

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

That's correct. It was there for 15 years before I got elected.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

I then wanted to ask Ms. Crockatt about the same thing, major roads and the way they divide things up. I can't tell from the maps they've had up there, but looking at the one you provided to us, with the green overlay that looks like it's a satellite view, I get the impression that the road that the boundaries commission is using for a dividing line as your western boundary is a road that is not a limited access highway. It's a road that can be crossed fairly easily while the Sarcee Trail is in fact a limited access highway that forms a sort of impermeable boundary.

Is that right?

[Joan Crockatt, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

Yes, absolutely. That's just a normal neighbourhood street that they've used as a boundary, whereas Sarcee Trail is a six- or eight-lane ring road. Again, we don't know why they would have chosen that other than strictly because of a population calculation.

[Scott Reid, Conservative, Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON]

That's helpful. Thank you very much.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Madame Latendresse.

[Alexandrine Latendresse, NDP, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

I have a quick question for Ms. Crockatt.

Is this a map of provincial ridings with the proposed riding of Calgary Centre?

[Joan Crockatt, Conservative, Calgary Centre, AB]

That is a map of a provincial riding; you're seeing the boundary on the right-hand side. This is the map that has the blue on it. It's just showing you that the boundaries I'm proposing are very consistent with what you're seeing as both municipal ward boundaries and provincial boundaries. Again, there are a lot of reasons people have historically used these. That is the Bow River there. That's the road you need to cross to get to the other communities and that's why I'm suggesting the other communities could quite happily coexist in another riding.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Mr. Lukiwski.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

Just quickly to Devinder, just so I'm clear, you're just basically suggesting they move the boundary into that sparsely populated area just so you could retain the current constituency office?

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Well, it's not only that. It has—

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

So it's all about you—is that what you're saying? I'm just kidding.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Well, no, it's—

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

All kidding aside, Devinder, it appears to me that if there are only perhaps five people there and it's a very small area geographically, but if the population base was the emphasis the commissioners were placing on the new boundaries, and you made this argument to the commissioners, why wouldn't they just accept it? It seems to me like a no-brainer.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

Number one, I did not make this argument to the commissioners, because I did not expect the commission to basically isolate the business owners who live in my riding from the neighbouring riding.

Number two, it's not anything about me, because I have to go to work anyway.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

I was just kidding on that one.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

It is very convenient. This location is very convenient for all constituents, because they can take McKnight Blvd., they can take Barlow Trail, they can take 32nd, they can take Deerfoot. As Mr. Reid mentioned, it's very convenient for the constituents to get there, and this office is known to all constituents. Parking is also an issue at other locations, so it's really working well.

[Tom Lukiwski, Conservative, Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK]

You answered my question, Devinder. When I asked you why they would have opposed this, the answer was that no one had made the argument to begin with. One would think that if you or anyone had made the argument to keep your riding, they would have accepted it, because, as I said, I think it's a no-brainer.

[Devinder Shory, Conservative, Calgary Northeast, AB]

I'm sure they would have.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Are there any further questions from the committee?

You answered our questions so well, we finished again in just two rounds. This committee is getting very efficient. I'm proud of you all.

Thank you very much for joining us today and thank you for sharing the information. Is there anything else from the committee for today?

[A Voice]

You did a great job.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you.

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

We had to speed up the witnesses because we waited 20 minutes to see two witnesses.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Yes and last week we went over with the witnesses we had. I understand, but do you want to stack our witnesses up like cordwood out in the hall and bring them in?

[Stéphane Dion, Liberal, Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC]

It's my suggestion that when we know that colleagues agree and when it seems that—

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

It's a little easier if we know they agree—