moved:
That a Message be sent to the Senate to acquaint Their Honours that this House agrees to amendment number 4( a ) made by the Senate to Bill C-69, an act to provide for the establishment of electoral boundary commissions and the readjustment of electoral boundaries, and this House disagrees with amendments numbers 1, 2, 3, 4( b ), 4( c ), 5 and 6 for the following reasons:
The bill was, in accordance with the new procedures of this House, prepared by a committee of the House. While amendment number 4( a ) corrects an omission, the other amendments address points, each of which were supported by members representing at least two of the three parties officially recognized in the House. Taken together, the bill represents a balance aimed at improving the responsiveness of the system of readjusting electoral boundaries both to rapid shifts of population and to the operative realities of effective representation of the people, a balance that, in the opinion of this House, requires: a ) in view of the varied Canadian geography and demography, the retention of a variation of up to 25 per cent from the electoral quota of each province (addressed by amendments number 1 and 6( a )); b ) the avoidance of unnecessary electoral boundary adjustments in provinces where shifts of population do not require them (addressed in amendments number 2, 3, 5, 6( b )(i) and 7); c ) the clear acceptance of the non-partisan status of members of commissions through the provision of parliamentary oversight of appointments (addressed by amendments number 4( b ) and 4( c )); d ) the retention of the definition of ``community of interest'' developed on a non-partisan basis by currently serving elected representatives, through a consensus of all parties, in the House of Commons Standing Committee rather than the substitution of another definition (addressed by amendment number 6( b )(ii)).