STATEMENT: UCP minister's proposed electoral boundaries map

Rob Miyashiro, MLA for Lethbridge-West, issued the following statement in response to UCP Minister’s proposed electoral boundaries map: 

“The boundaries proposed by Minister Nathan Neudorf are extremely concerning, not only because they would lead to poorer representation for both urban and rural Albertans, but because they mimic some of the gerrymandering tactics we've seen in the United States. 

“The needs and priorities of Lethbridge residents are distinct from those in our neighbouring rural communities. I know this as a resident of Lethbridge, a former Lethbridge City Councillor, and someone who grew up in rural southern Alberta. 

“Splitting the city into multiple rural-urban ridings would almost guarantee that urban voters’ voices are drowned out by rural majorities, making certain votes count for less. Creating more of these hybrid ridings also makes it harder for any elected official to fight for the unique needs of their community. This hurts everyone, except the UCP government and their re-election chances. 

“When drawing electoral boundary maps, there should always be one guiding question: does this promote fairness within our voting system? Fairness means each vote carries the same weight. Fairness means elected officials can do their job and represent their communities. 

“Neudorf’s proposed map does not improve or even maintain fairness. It appears designed to improve a particular party’s political advantage. 

“Lethbridge is a vibrant, diverse city with unique needs. We must ensure our electoral boundaries reflect that and not political convenience.”