HALIFAX: The province’s electoral boundaries commission is getting to work.
On March 27, the provincial government introduced legislation that would amend the House of Assembly Act to allow the province to designate mandatory terms of reference to guide the electoral boundaries commission in drawing Nova Scotia’s electoral map.
A release from the province states the proposed terms of reference include setting a standard for deviation from the average number of voters in electoral districts and allowing the commission to create a district outside that standard in certain circumstances.
On January 24, 2017, the Nova Scotia Court of Appeal concluded a 2012 change to Nova Scotia electoral boundaries violated Section 3 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by altering of the electoral districts of Clare, Argyle and Richmond.
When asked if the recently introduced legislation will mean Richmond could be restored as its own district, Government House Leader and Glace Bay MLA MacLellan said there is no indication of where any riding will go.
“The conversations around the protected nature of ridings that existed historically will all be brought forward to the commission,” said MacLellan. “The commission will do its work across the province, certainly spend lots of time on [Cape Breton] to make sure that all voices are being heard and they’ll make the decision that’s in the best province and the regions collectively.”
The release goes on to state the province expects to set up an electoral boundaries commission by the end of the legislature’s spring sitting and will submit its final report in advance of the next election.
“We’ll let the independence of that commission do its work and we’ll await the final result, which will probably be every bit of a year from now,” MacLellan said.
Some of the amendments to the House of Assembly Act include rules for setting electoral boundaries such as allowing for a standard for deviation from the average number of voters in an electoral district, setting the standard deviation at plus or minus 25 per cent of the average number of voters in a district, authorizing the boundaries commission to exceed the standard deviation in exceptional circumstances, and provide the boundaries commission with authority to create non-contiguous electoral districts.
A release from the province states “the proposed changes would ensure boundaries commissions are guided by a consistent set of principles, while giving the all-party select committee that establishes the commissions the option of setting additional terms of reference.”