Media

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan
Begins the Process of Readjusting Boundaries

Saskatoon, Monday, March 26, 2012 – The Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan, recently established, has begun its review of the province's federal electoral districts. The three-person commission is headed by the Honourable Ronald C. Mills and commissioners Dr. John Courtney and Mr. David Marit.

The Saskatchewan Commission is one of 10 independent federal electoral boundaries commissions created by law to redraw the boundaries of Canada's federal electoral districts.

The work of readjusting Saskatchewan's federal electoral boundaries is not simply a mathematical exercise whereby each electoral district ends up with roughly the same number of people, but rather a balancing act that must take into consideration communities of interest or identity as well as a district's history and geographic size.

Saskatchewan's population has increased from 978,933 in 2001 to 1,033,381 in 2011, and the Commission is currently formulating a proposal for the province's 14 seats in the House of Commons to reflect the population growth and shifts.

The Saskatchewan Commission will publish its proposal outlining the new electoral map in a few months, and public hearings will follow at various locations across the province. Advertisements in newspapers and on the Commission's website will notify Saskatchewanians of the dates, time and place of these hearings where groups and individuals can participate in the process and share their opinions.

The public hearings and input from the electorate had a great impact on the electoral boundaries created by the last commission in 2002. In order to involve the public as soon as possible in the process, the Commission is inviting citizens to participate in creating the initial proposal by providing their comments, in general or specific terms, by e-mail or mail by April 15, 2012.

To learn more about the redistribution of Saskatchewan's federal electoral districts, visit www.federal-redistribution.ca.

Information:

Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Saskatchewan
440 2nd Avenue North, Suite 203
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
S7K 2C3

Tel.: 1-306-241-1984 or 1-855-747-7230
(Toll-free number will be available mid-April.)
saskatchewan@rfed-rcf.ca