ELMSDALE: The Municipality of East Hants and East Hants & Districts Chamber of Commerce have added their voices to others watching with interest the proposed federal electoral boundary changes that could split East Hants up.
In the proposal, the Hants North area, along with part of Milford and Shubenacadie will remain in Kings-Hants. However, the other portion of Milford; Lantz; Elmsdale; and Enfield will move to the new Pictou-Eastern Shore-Preston riding (currently the bulk of Central Nova and represented by Immigration Minister Sean Fraser).
Municipality of East Hants Director of Planning and Development John Woodford said the proposed change to federal ridings would move more than 8,000 residents of East Hants from the Kings-Hants riding to the Pictou-Eastern Shore-Preston riding.
“This change would not align with community interest for these affected residents of East Hants,” said Woodford. “So far, there isn’t a consultation meeting proposed to take place in East Hants.
“Holding one in this area would be beneficial to the community.”
In a letter to its members, the East Hants & District Chamber of Commerce said, “there is a new electoral map proposed for Nova Scotia’s federal ridings.”
“Right now, all of East Hants is in the Kings-Hants riding. The MP currently representing Kings-Hants in the Canadian parliament is Kody Blois, and the previous MP was Scott Brison,” the letter in an email to business members said.
“The proposed change would affect East Hants as follows: Milford, Shubenacadie, and Hants North would remain part of the Kings-Hants riding. Enfield, Elmsdale, Lantz and part of Milford would no longer be part of the King-Hants riding; instead these communities would become part of the Central Nova riding (to be renamed Pictou-Eastern Shore-Preston).”
The proposal can be found at:. https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/ns/prop/index_e.aspx
The survey the Chamber did for its members was open until May 11 at 3 p.m. It asked the members to take a quick minute top tell them whether they agree or disagree with the proposed changes.
A sign at the McNeil’s Shell in Elmsdale informs residents of what is going on, asking the commissionaires overseeing the proposal to not split up East Hants. They also have little mail ins that are available to be picked up and sent to the federal commissionaires.
MP Kody Blois said he received a response from the federal electoral boundary commission to his letter asking they reconsider and also host a meeting in the community for residents to attend.
Currently, Blois said residents have told him they will be attending the Truro public meeting to voice their feelings about the proposal.
Those wishing to do so have to pre-register in advance. One can do that by looking at the “Ways to Participate” heading at https://redecoupage-redistribution-2022.ca/com/ns/phrg/index_e.aspx .
