Two.
Evidence of meeting #69 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 commission.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Evidence of meeting #69 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 commission.
A recording is available from Parliament.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
The newly proposed riding of Regina—Lewvan and the existing riding of Regina—Qu'Appelle.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Okay. Is your colleague in agreement with your proposal?
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
At the end of the day will the number of people be better distributed?
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Of the population, yes. My proposal would see roughly 6,000 people in the Cathedral area moved into Regina—-Qu'Appelle. That will alleviate the problem of what's going to happen in Regina—-Lewvan because there are going to be around 15,000-plus people, new residents of Regina—-Lewvan, by the time the next election rolls around. It was done primarily to try to address the population variance.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
What support for this proposal is there on the ground?
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
The concern of the people I talked to in the Cathedral area was that they wanted to make sure their association was kept whole because they have a very active association. Right now, as an example, they have a bit of a dispute with the provincial government on a proposed school closure. I understand they're lobbying the provincial government very hard, so they wouldn't want to see their associated split in any fashion. This maintains their community identity.
All it means is that they would be voting in a different riding, but nothing else changes.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Okay. Is it based on some historic reality or only today's submission?
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
The reason I'm suggesting the Cathedral area move is that in the first map the commission put out, they recognized there could be a population disparity between Lewvan and Qu'Appelle.
When they tried to carve out a four- or five-block radius in the northwest area of Regina—Lewvan and put it into Qu'Appelle it was arbitrary. It was done I think just for population reasons, but it really would have split up a brand new subdivision. It would have created the unusual situation of one neighbour on one side of the street voting in one riding and another neighbour on the other side of the street voting in another.
They discarded that approach in their second map, but I'm saying I think they would agree they have to address that population variance with the population growth that's going to occur in Regina—Lewvan. I'm suggesting a way that I think works on a whole bunch of different levels. It has a natural boundary, the Cathedral area, so it is a natural dividing point. It addresses the population variance and it keeps the community of identity in the Cathedral area, so those residents can maintain their association and the good work they do.
12:25 p.m.
Liberal
Stéphane Dion Liberal Saint-Laurent—Cartierville, QC
Will this be the first time the commission will contemplate this proposal?
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
Tom Lukiwski Conservative Regina—Lumsden—Lake Centre, SK
Yes, it will be, Mr. Dion, and I know one of your questions was whether I raised this at the commission. No, I didn't. At that point frankly I thought our arguments would be persuasive to keep the hub-and-spoke situation the way we've had it for the last 50 years. It wasn't until I saw the second map that I saw what they were proposing, and that's why I'm making the suggestion now. I'm hopeful they will take it under very serious consideration.
12:25 p.m.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Joe Preston
Thank you.
That finishes that round. I think probably we should stop at that point. That will leave us half an hour for committee business today, and I think that will probably work.
Thank you, Mr. Lukiwski and Mr. Boughen, for sharing your information with us today.
We will suspend for two minutes while we go in camera to discuss committee business.
[Proceedings continue in camera]