Evidence of meeting #66 for Procedure and House Affairs in the 41st Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was surrey.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Mr. Sandhu, I understand that you are very pleased with the new mapping for your riding, but you were very concerned by the former one, the former proposal of the commission.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Yes, I understand that. You've already said that. Thank you.
You don't want any change, and you are here facing us saying that if a domino effect coming from the requests of other colleagues, other MPs, affects your riding, you would oppose it.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
I would oppose it on the condition that these are the conditions wanted by my communities, absolutely.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Yes.
Now, my question is, from where do you see the concern? Have you heard about changes proposed by some colleagues that may affect your riding in a detrimental way?
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
I have this House of Commons Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs document done by the Library of Parliament. It talks about item P with regard to Mark Warawa, MP for Langley. Any riding changes that are going to happen in the surrounding area will have some sort of ripple effect on the ridings surrounding it. I just wanted this committee to know that my constituents were very clear in making sure that community interests were represented—
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Excuse me. I understand that. You don't need to repeat this argument. We understood that.
The question I asked is, did you speak with your colleagues when you had a concern about what they proposed? Did you try to understand what they were saying? Is there communication between colleagues in British Columbia? This is my question.
NDP
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
That's not normal. What is very strange is that I have something here from Madam Jinny Sims from Newton—North Delta, and I understand that she is pleased by the commission, if I understand what I am reading from her, but she is concerned because you are testifying and she wants to make sure that you will not affect her riding.
Why did the two of you not speak to each other? Then you would not have had to come here. You are concerned by each other when both of you want the status quo.
NDP
Nathan Cullen NDP Skeena—Bulkley Valley, BC
No, we don't get that very often.
The suggestion by my friend here is that Ms. Sims, in her letter—which I'm reading right now—is worried that Mr. Sandhu's proposal is going to be directly implicated. My friend is suggesting that colleagues in B.C.... I'm not sure that it's Mr. Sandhu's obligation to go and talk to other MPs who are making suggestions on maps that have already been solidified. I would have thought that it would have been the reverse, which is what the committee has so far been asking MPs who are seeking changes—
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
I don't think we're quite on a point of order, but I will ask Monsieur Dion to—
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
I don't want to go too far.
If my colleague thinks I went too far, I'm sorry.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
I just want to understand why we have a colleague who's pleased by the proposal of the commission—and here I'm pleased that he's pleased.... It's less work for us.
But if, in the future, if I'm right, when I read about Madam Sims—it may not be what she will say, but if it is and she's also pleased and she wants to say that if a colleague wants to move, and one of the potential moves may come from Mr. Sandhu....
It's strange, Mr. Chair, because Albertan colleagues did not have these problems at all. They talked to each other. I'm not saying this is more the fault of Mr. Sandhu than anyone else; I'm just saying that maybe something is happening in B.C. now that is not as good as what we had in Alberta.
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
You know, Mr. Dion, you're asking me a question that Jinny should be answering. I don't think I need to answer this question.
Liberal
NDP
Jasbir Sandhu NDP Surrey North, BC
They spoke very clearly of what they wanted, and I think the commission reflected that.
There are some changes being proposed by nearby members of Parliament, and I want to make sure that the views of my constituents, the views that showed up at the hearings, are respected if any changes proceed from this committee.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
I understand. I fully understand. You have been great here.
Thank you very much.
Conservative
Scott Reid Conservative Lanark—Frontenac—Lennox and Addington, ON
Thank you.
Just so I can be clear, Ms. Sims represents right now Newton—North Delta. The majority of that riding, not all of it but the majority of it, will become the new riding of Surrey—Newton.
I think that's right. Yes. Right now she has Newton—North Delta, on the map on the right, and she will, I assume, represent in the future Surrey—Newton.
You represent Surrey North, and it will be changed to Surrey Centre.
The riding boundary between the two currently goes along, from the looks of things, 96th Avenue, starting in the west now; follows 120th Street south; goes east along 88th Avenue; drops south along 128th; and then it turns right and goes east again. The sort of stepped movement that we have now will become a straight line along 88th Avenue.
I think I've just summarized that correctly.
First of all, you are not objecting to that particular change to the boundary. Is that correct?