Image From www.redistribution2022.ca

By Chris Brown

Medicine Hat electoral riding would shrink under proposed new federal map

Feb 3, 2023 | 8:59 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – A new federal electoral map for Alberta has been tabled in the House of Commons, one that proposes shrinking the Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner riding on its western side.

The multi-stage process included the publication of the commission’s proposal in June followed by public hearings. This week a report based on those hearings was tabled, and objections from MPs will be heard until May.

Below are the explanations relevant to the Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner district following the report’s tabling.

In its Proposal, the Commission had relocated the southern portion of the Municipal District of Taber from the electoral district of Bow River to that of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner. However, in light of the significant reduction in size of the Bow River electoral district, the Commission has decided to retain the Municipal District of Taber within that electoral district. This also means that the Town of Taber and the Village of Barnwell will be moved back into the Bow River electoral district. The electoral district of Bow River continues to have Chestermere included within its boundaries as a result of the Commission’s decision to dismantle the Airdrie—Chestermere electoral district. Beiseker and Irricana remain in the Bow River electoral district as well.

In the Proposal, the Commission had moved the western boundary of the Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner electoral district eastward so that the Blood Indian Reserves Nos. 148 and 148A would be located within the Foothills electoral district. This would put them in the same electoral district as Piikani Nation, Eden Valley Indian Reserve No. 216 and Tsuu T’ina First Nation. The proposed northeastern boundary of that electoral district was also moved south to Township Road 150, causing the northern portion of Cypress County to be placed in the proposed Bow River electoral district.

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With respect to the electoral district of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner, the Commission heard presenters urge that all Cypress County should be included. Cypress County contains the military base at Suffield, which has very close economic and other ties to the City of Medicine Hat. The Commission was advised that there are fewer than 1,000 people living in that portion of Cypress County. The Commission accepted that recommendation and has extended the northeastern boundary of the Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner electoral district to be coterminous with the northern boundary of Cypress County.

As discussed in its Proposal, the Commission has expanded the electoral district of Foothills eastward at its southeastern boundary to include the Blood Indian Reserves Nos. 148 and 148A. Also, as mentioned previously, the Kananaskis Improvement District has been relocated from the electoral district of Foothills and placed in the reconfigured electoral district of Jasper—Banff—Canmore. Finally, a very minor change has been made to the southeastern portion of this electoral district since the Proposal was written. In accordance with the Commission’s effort to keep municipalities together when reasonably possible, a small portion of Improvement District No. 4 Waterton, which had been included in the electoral district of Medicine Hat—Cardston—Warner under the Proposal, is now included with the balance of that Improvement District in the Foothills electoral district. After these changes, the 2021 decennial-census population of the Foothills electoral district is 114,930, which represents a slight decrease from the population in the Proposal.

Medicine Hat-Cardston-Warner is currently represented by Conservative Party of Canada MP Glen Motz.

The report also suggests changes to the nearby districts of Bow River (Conservative MP Martin Shields) and Lethbridge (Conservative MP Rachael Thomas), as well as others throughout the province.

If the next general election were held before April 2024, the current boundaries would be used. If it’s in April 2024 or later, the new ones would be in effect. The next scheduled federal election is in October 2025.

If the redistricting takes place as proposed in the report, Alberta would grow from 34 electoral districts to 37.

To learn more about the commission’s report visit redistribution2022.ca.

-with files from Josh Hall at Red Deer News NOW

This story has been updated to correct that the commission is at the report stage, not the proposal stage.