A new line is drawn for the electorate

The Lac La Ronge Indian Band will be sending a letter to the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Saskatchewan in support of the new boundaries proposed for the northern riding of Desnethe’-Missinippi-Churchill River.

“Moving the boundary north makes more sense. This is good for the north. It’s not just First Nation and Metis. We have northerners who live in the north who are non- First Nation, non-Metis. We have similar issues. We have a community of interest as a northern community,” said Chief Tammy Cook-Searson.

So agrees the mayor of Cumberland House.

Mayor Valerie Deschambeault joined with Cumberland House Cree Nation Chief Lorne Stewart to release a joint statement supporting the re-jigged boundaries, which see the communities of Choiceland, Love, White Fox, and Smeaton join the Prince Albert riding.

“Our communities demographically fit in the Desnethe’-Missinippi-Churchill riding and would be better represented along with the northern higher Aboriginal populated riding and our community representation based on similar community interests, and the principle of voter equality should take precedence,” wrote Stewart and Deschambeault.

However, DMC riding MP Rob Clarke does not see it the same way.

In a letter sent to the Standing Committee on Procedure and House Affairs, Clarke wrote, “While its mandate was to take into account population changes and ensure proper representation for the residents of Saskatchewan, the outcome indicates otherwise… I believe that even without my objections, the impartiality and fairness of the report is tainted.”

Clarke suggested that Cumberland House along with Shoal Lake and Red Earth be “subsumed by Yorkton-Melville as a natural extension of the riding to its north.” He also stated that adding Choiceland, Love, White Fox, and Smeaton to the Prince Albert riding increased the riding by 1,000 constituents and the riding was already five per cent above the quota.

Clarke also expressed concern that changing the boundaries as proposed would give too much voice within the riding to First Nations.

“The proposed changes also make the riding population more homogenous and decrease the influence of communities of interest. The already large percentage of First Nations has increased and it diminishes the influence of the rest of the communities. Communities of interest must have their voices heard and are at risk of being muted by demographic changes,” he concluded in his letter.

However, Cook-Searson said giving normally silenced minorities a louder voice is what the 1991 Supreme Court decision on electoral boundaries was about.

In the Supreme Court’s decision, Madame Justice Beverly McLachlin wrote, “Factors like geography, community history, community interests and minority representation may need to be taken into account to ensure that our legislative assemblies effectively represent the diversity of our social mosaic.”

The new electoral division includes the majority of the 35,000 members of the Prince Albert Grand Council, says Cook-Searson.
“This is good for the north.  The north will have a good, strong voice in Ottawa,” she said.
Cook-Searson would not go as far as to say that Clarke, a Conservative MP, may be worried about losing his riding given the new boundaries and his push for amendments to the Indian Act. She noted that Clarke appeared at a Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations assembly to speak on the Private Members Bill he introduced last year to amend the Indian Act. She said Clarke only presented his bill and entertained no questions or comments from the chiefs in attendance.
“There wasn’t even an opportunity for dialogue,” said Cook-Searson.
Many First Nations leaders across the country condemned Clarke, who is also a member of the Muskeg First Nation, for what they saw as his unilateral action to amend the Indian Act. Clarke held no consultations with First Nations prior to the bill’s introduction.
Cook-Searson points out that the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for the Province of Saskatchewan is non-partisan.
Of the three-member committee, there was one dissension. David Marit, who also serves as president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, disagreed with his colleagues on “so dramatically” changing the boundaries, noting that 75 per cent of submissions and letters received by the commission opposed the boundary changes.