|
|
|
Four more MLAs? |
|
|
|
Written by Dave Mabell Lethbridge Herald
|
|
Tuesday, May 05 2009, 9:13 PM |
The provincial government plans to add four more MLAs, recognizing population growth in Calgary and Edmonton. But a Lethbridge MLA, saying there’s plenty of politicians already, challenges the Conservative government’s decision to expand the legislature.
“We need better government, not more government,” says Bridget Pastoor, the Alberta Liberals member from Lethbridge East. “We don’t need more politicians at taxpayers’ expense.”
Pastoor represents about 42,000 constituents, she points out — far fewer than MP Rick Casson is asked to represent. She says that number — a little above average for the current legislature — compares with about 56,000 per MLA in British Columbia, about 60,000 in Quebec, and close to 100,000 in Ontario.
“Why do we need four more?” she asks. “How did they pick that number?”
Plans to appoint an electoral boundaries commission — and add four more MLA positions — were announced earlier this week by Environment Minister Rob Renner, as he tabled enabling legislation in Edmonton. The five-person commission would be named this summer, then asked to announce public hearings and plan to have recommendations ready a year later.
“I think they’ve put the cart before the horse,” says Pastoor. “How do they know we need four more?”
That’s the kind of decision that usually based on a recommendation from the commission, she said — after it’s completed its hearings and public review process. The last boundaries commission, headed by former ethics minister Bob Clark, recommended no increase in the 83-seat legislature.
This time, Pastoor reports, some MLAs’ comments indicate they already know where the new seats will be inserted in Calgary and Edmonton. At their current cost — all Conservative MLAs reportedly earn more than $100,000 per year, thanks to additional income from committee appointments — four new MLAs could mean an extra $2 million in taxes over their first four years in office.
Add more urban MLAs, others point out, could help preserve more seats in rural Alberta. Broyce Jacobs, the two-term MLA for Cardston-Warner-Taber, says it takes hours to drive from one side of his riding to the other.
“And it’s a six-hour drive from Edmonton.”
Once he’s back in his riding, Jacobs says, he’s working with representatives from many towns, irrigation districts, school jurisdictions, counties or MDs — and scores of community groups.
“And there’s a diversity of issues across the riding,” which ranges from the wilderness of Waterton National Park to the dryland farms and oilfields south of Taber. First Nations members, Hutterite colony members and Mexican Mennonite farmers are among his constituents.
There’s far more difficulties in representing a rural riding, he says, than one in suburban Calgary where an MLA would need less than 15 minutes to reach any constituent or group.
“It makes it more challenging for rural Albertans to get good representation.”
Even with four more constituencies, says MLA Greg Weadick, most members will be representing more voters after redistribution is complete.
The Lethbridge West representative says it’s important to get started on the process, so there’s an adequate period for public hearings and further voter input.
“This is a good time to get going.”
Appointment of the commission’s members is the first step, the Conservative member adds, with the Conservatives and the opposition Liberals asked to nominate two each. The chair, someone with the stature of a university president or a superior court judge, will be named by the premier.
Once the report is handed in, warns political scientist Harold Jansen, the government could still decide to modify it. That’s exactly what city council members did in Calgary, rejecting an impartial report on how their ward system should be updated.
“The urge to interfere is pretty overpowering for a lot of people,” says Jansen, a professor at the University of Lethbridge.
Though two-thirds of Albertans live in the greater Calgary or Edmonton areas, he points out, the current seat distribution has 41 MLAs representing voters inside those two cities, and 42 across the rest of Alberta.
With four more seats added, “I expect that majority for rural ridings will be gone.”
“I think by adding those seats, the rural areas may not lose as many.”
Southern Alberta lost two seats in recent years, beginning when the Crowsnest - Pincher Creek area was merged with the Fort Macleod - Claresholm riding. More recently, the Cardston constituency was appended to Taber-Warner.
Voters across the south will learn if they’re about to lose another seat, when the commission presents its initial report and proposed electoral map.
Says Jansen, “That’s when Albertans will want to take a look.”
|
|
|
|
