Hon. Greg Deighan, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, today announced appointments to the Prince Edward Island Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Speaker Deighan is pleased to announce that Honourable Justice John A. McQuaid has been appointed to serve as Chairperson of the Commission, and John Mitchell, Q.C. of Charlottetown and Roberta Hubley of Montague will serve as Commissioners.
Pursuant to the Electoral Boundaries Act, RSPEI 1994, Cap. E-2.1, the Commission is to be established following the third general election after the Act comes into force. The Legislative Assembly passed the Act in 1994; therefore, after the general elections of 1996, 2000 and 2003, the Commission is to be created and charged with the responsibility of reviewing the provincial electoral districts and making report, complete with recommendations, to the Legislative Assembly. The Commission will consider the areas comprising the existing 27 electoral districts, including the present electoral boundaries and district names. The Commission will hold public hearings and, in preparing recommendations, will also take into consideration the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enumeration data from the 2003 General Election, existing polling divisions, geographical features, population patterns, communities of interest, municipal boundaries and such other factors as the Commission may deem relevant. At present, the Act states that a proposed district shall not be more than 25 percent above nor 25 percent below the average number of electors of all the proposed districts.
The Commission must submit its report to the Speaker of the Legislative Assembly within six months.