Procedure and House Affairs Committee on March 5th, 2013

[A voice]

It's a good thing he's not the House leader.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Yes, it's good I'm not in any position of any kind.

I'm trying to pick a hole in your argument about understanding these communities. The commission has a difficult job, which is to create a new riding that is going to have domino effects. We often talk about this here, so I'm sure you appreciate the challenge.

Mr. Julian, do you have something to say?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thank you, Mr. Cullen, for your reference to an MP's work. I wanted to quote the former MP for Burnaby—Douglas. In 2002, when he appeared before the commission, he said the following:

While there was a North Vancouver--Burnaby riding previously, north Burnaby residents often complained that they never saw the MP, who lived in North Vancouver and almost never attended Burnaby functions or responded to concerns of Burnaby groups. I personally was often called upon to assist that MP's constituents in the Burnaby area, and attend community events there.

I think that is a very practical ramification of what it means when you have two completely separated communities being represented by one MP.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

How are we doing for time, Chair?

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

You have 30 seconds.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

Thank you.

Mr. Stewart.

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Sure, a lot of the folks who came to present to the commission hearings were service providers, and they stressed that there are actually no links between the service providers in North Vancouver and those in north Burnaby. They don't cooperate in delivering services. They cooperate on the south shore. That's just another factor.

[Nathan Cullen, NDP, Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC]

I think the most compelling part of your argument is first, that the communities have been through this already, this matter of a new horizontal riding. Second, to have that many people show up is impressive, as committee members will know.

Yes, it's disappointing the commission went the other way.

Thanks.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

Thank you.

Mr. Lamoureux. It's nice to have you here today, Kevin.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Thank you, Mr. Chair. It's great to be here.

Did either of you make a presentation to the commission? Both of you did?

In making the presentation to the committee, what do you feel? Is the presentation you made to the commission the same that you're making before us today?

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

I've added information since the decision. We've added a letter from the City of Burnaby. The turmoil within the community has been ongoing since the new maps came out. I'm trying to present that information. It wasn't a one-off blip. This is a community that's going to be permanently angry. Both sides of the inlet are going to be angry about this, so I'm adding that to my testimony today.

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Thanks, Mr. Lamoureux.

I'd just like to be frank. Prior to these public hearings, one of the commissioners in British Columbia said that the public hearings would not change anything. I think subsequent to seeing the map that has come out following the commission hearings, there's been a reaction in the community from people who are saying, “They told us the public hearings wouldn't change anything and they haven't changed anything”, and they're upset, because there should have been a role for the public in these hearings. Frankly, that's why we're coming before you today.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

So there's no deviation whatsoever from the original draft proposal that would have been made last spring. None of your thoughts or generally speaking....

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

There is a slight change. They've moved a boundary in North Vancouver a little bit, but that's very minor.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

So in terms of the redistribution, there are just very minor changes overall.

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

No. From what was proposed by the commission initially, which went forward to the public, to what was eventually included in the report in terms of the Burnaby—North Seymour riding, there was a small change, but not the change the public wanted.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

You'll have to excuse me for not knowing, but what about other ridings in the province? Did they make any substantial changes at all from a province-wide perspective? Do we know if the commission responded?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

Honestly, I don't know. I think there were some changes. Actually, as members of the committee, you'd be better versed in that than we would be. We haven't seen what types of submissions you've been getting from B.C. MPs.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

I was interested in seeing the poll. Is this verbatim what would have been expressed on the phone in its entirety?

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Yes, it is. I gave it to the commission as well. I presented this to the commission, and it was widely reported in local newspapers as well.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Did either of you receive written correspondence or anything of this nature reflecting some of the opinions you've expressed?

[Kennedy Stewart, NDP, Burnaby—Douglas, BC]

Absolutely. I still am. My staff said people are coming in with letters asking how they can get them to the committee and the House of Commons to make sure this change doesn't go ahead. So it still is probably one of the top issues in our community as reflected in local papers and in what's happening in my constituency office as well as in Peter's.

[Kevin Lamoureux, Liberal, Winnipeg North, MB]

Have all of the other MPs in the surrounding ridings been contacted by the two of you, or by either one of you, just to make sure they're comfortable with what it is you're suggesting?

[Peter Julian, NDP, Burnaby—New Westminster, BC]

As I mentioned, Mr. Donnelly, who's in the third riding that's primarily affected by this, has said that he agrees with the proposals we're bringing forward. He wasn't able to appear today, but hopefully he will appear.

[The Chair, Conservative, Joe Preston]

We received a letter from him, and he has suggested that will suffice.