R""E EIVE. MAR 0 4 2003

Nova. ScotiaUtility and Review Board

JUST BOUNDARIES

Recommendations for

Effective Representation for the People of Nova Scotia

The Final Report of the

Nova Scotia Provincial Electoral

Boundaries Commission

(August, 2002)

Dr. J. Colin DoddsChair

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission

ECEIV£MAr? 0 4 2003

Nov""s .'Vtif OL Cotlatty and Review Board

JUST BOUNDARIES

Recommendations for

Effective Representation for the People of Nova Scotia

The Final Report of the

Nova Scotia Provincial Electoral

Boundaries Commission

(August, 2002)

Dr. J. Colin DoddsChair

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission

Third Floor, Summit Place160I Lower Water StreetPO Box 1543 CRGHalifax, Nova ScotiaCanada B31 2Y3

Bus: 902 424-3725Fax: 902 424-5872Email: pbelectcom@gov.ns.ca

Our File Number:

August 30, 2002

The Honourable Michael BakerAttorney GeneralProvince ofNova ScotiaHalifax, Nova Scotia

Dear Mr. Baker,

Dr. Andrew Molloy

'[ fc_ .. /( ('v--d.:U( 1r.....~{)~Ms. Candace Thomas

~hr~u--~Mr. Ian Spencer

Mrs. Anne L. Dillman

We are pleased to submit the Final Report of the Nova Scotia Provincial ElectoralBoundaries Commission. This Report contains the Commission's unanimous recommendationsfor changes to the Province's electoral boundaries for consideration by the Legislative Assembly

ova Scotia.

M~~rvJ'--

~F.Kitz ~Q~{!).L?~Dr. Ronald G. Landes

D '. J. Colin DoddsChair

CitN-cib~

~ Printed on paper that~ contains n:cycled fibre

PREFACE

If the public's response to the work of the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission is

any indication, then democracy is alive and well in Nova Scotia. The Commission wishes to

thank all those involved in the public consultation process for making their views known.

Commission members were particularly impressed by the individual Nova Scotians ­

unaffiliated with municipal units or political parties - who stepped forward and shared, with

passion and clarity, their particular visions of effective representation. While the public may not

agree with all recommendations, the Commission acknowledges it has been aided greatly in its

work by the public's interest and participation.

The Commission wishes to thank its support staff for their tremendous work: Mrs.

Loretta Bell, the Commission's bilingual secretary; Mr. Bill Cordy, the Commission's executive

assistant; and Mr. Lawrence O'Neil, the Commission's legal counsel. The Commission also

wishes to thank Ms. Colleen Devereaux for the additional secretarial support she provided to the

Commission.

The Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission also acknowledges the following

people for their contribution to the electoral boundary redistribution process: the Honourable

Michael Baker, Chair and the other members of the Select Committee on Establishing an

Electoral Boundaries Commission of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly; the Honourable

Murray Scott, Speaker of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly; Mr. Dale Robbins, Director of

Administration, Office of the Speaker; Mr. Paul Read, Audio Technician and his staff at

Legislative Television; Ms. Janet Willwerth, Chief Electoral Officer (Acting) for the Province of

Nova Scotia; Mr. Tony Mathews, Mapping Services Co-ordinator, Nova Scotia Electoral Office;

Mr. Dennis Pilkey, Director, Nova Scotia Statistics Agency; and Mr. Brian MacLeod, Research

and Statistics Officer, Nova Scotia Statistics Agency.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission:Structure and Operation

Terms of Reference

Analysis and Interpretation of the Terms of Reference

The Public .Consultation Process

Data Base and Data Analysis

The Entitlement System

A. Table One: County Population and County SeatEntitlements: 1991 and 2001

B. Table Two: 1991 and 2001 ConstituencyPopulation and Constituency Seat Entitlements forthe Current Electoral Districts

C. Table Three: 2001 Seat Entitlements by Electorsfor Current Electoral Districts

The Proposed Electoral Redistribution

A. Table Four: Proposed Provincial Electoral Districts2002: Electors and Seat Entitlements (sorted by seatentitlements, lowest to highest)

B. Table Five: Seat Entitlements, Actual and ProposedSeats by Region

C. List and Maps:1. Electoral Districts (list)2. Map: Industrial Cape Breton Inset3. Map: South Shore Area Inset4. Map: Guysborough - Eastern Shore Area Inset5. Map: Halifax Metro Area Inset6. Map: Cole Harbour Area Inset7. Map: Dartmouth Area Inset8. Map: Bedford Area Inset

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6

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19

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............................. 5152535455565758

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9. Map: Halifax Peninsula Area Inset10. Map: Clayton Park and Fairview Areas Inset

Overview of Proposed Changes to theCurrent Electoral Districts

Descriptions for Proposed Boundaries

Implementing the Final Report and OtherRecommendations

5960

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............................. 65

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Appendices

A.B.C.D.E.F.G.H.

I

Information Package: Questions for Public CommentPublic Hearings Schedule (First Round)First Round ofPublic Hearings: PresentersFirst Round ofPublic Hearings: Written SubmissionsPublic Hearings Schedule (Second Round)Second Round ofPublic Hearings: PresentersSecond Round ofPublic Hearings: Written SubmissionsData Issues and Data Modelling

Table Six: 2001 Data for Recommended ElectoralDistricts

Queens County Data Revision

7879808183848690

9597

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1: INTRODUCTION

One crucial component of a democratic system is the electoral process, encompassing

how individuals are recruited to run for office, how citizens vote and under what conditions, and

how those votes are counted and transformed into government authority - determined in a

parliamentary system by the number of seats won in the legislature. An often overlooked, yet

extremely important, aspect of the electoral process is how electoral boundaries for those;

constituencies are drawn and by whom.

A significant change in the drawing of electoral boundaries occurred in Nova Scotia in

1991, when, by an all-party agreement, an independent Electoral Boundaries Commission was

established to recommend new constituency boundaries for the Legislative Assembly of Nova

Scotia. A similar process was continued on November 30, 2001, when the Select Committee on

Establishing an Electoral Boundaries Commission of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly

established, for the second time, an independent Electoral Boundaries Commission for the

province.

While a number of provinces use an independent commission to restructure legislative

electoral districts or constituencies, Nova Scotia is unique in terms of the size of its two

commissions: six members in 1991-1992 and nine members in 2001-2002. These commissions

are the largest ever established in Canada to this point and make Nova Scotia a leader in

recognizing'that a commission that deals with legislative representation should itself be broadly

representative in nature. It is the view of the Commission that the knowledge that such

representation provides to an independent commission is invaluable.

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For its Final Report, the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission has chosen the title

Just Boundaries: Recommendations for Effective Representation for the People of Nova Scotia.

As defined in the Houghton Mifflin Canadian Dictionary of the English Language (Markham,

Ontario: Houghton Mifflin Canada, 1982: p. 711), the word "just" has several meanings, which

include the following definitions: honourable and fair, equitable, valid within the law, legitimate,

suitable, fitting, sound, well-founded. In making its recommendations for possible revisions in

the province's electoral boundaries, the Commission has sought to meet these high standards. In

particular, the Commission, based on its Terms of Reference, which are themselves grounded on

the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms (Section 3) - as interpreted by the Supreme Court

of Canada in the Carter case (Reference re Provincial Electoral Boundaries [Saskatchewan]),

has made recommendations which it feels will provide a pattern of effective representation for

the province ofNova Scotia as a whole - in other words, just boundaries.

Another definition of the term "just" means "merely" or "only." The Commission feels

that this definition of the term is applicable as well. Provincial electoral boundaries provide a

way of adding up votes in provincial general elections two-to-three times a decade. Provincial

electoral boundaries determine where an individual's vote will be counted - that's all! While the

Commission recognizes that the public has concerns that provincial electoral boundaries might

affect other aspects of their lives, and some of the oral and written presentations referenced this,

the Commission feels that electoral boundary revisions do not, in themselves, affect the

following: school districts, postal codes, shopping patterns, religious communities, and family

units. Once created, electoral districts are primarily a way for adding up votes.

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Having said that, however, the Commission does recognize that changing boundaries will

have a significant impact on current MLAs, party organizations, and party activists. While many

electors in Nova Scotia may not be concerned with specific electoral boundaries except at

election times, party organizations and party representatives have a continuing interest and

concern for such matters. As a result, the Commission, in its Final Report, has sought to

minimize such disruptions, except where it has had to do so in order to produce effective

representation for the people of Nova Scotia as a whole.

2: PROVINCIAL ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES COMMISSION:

STRUCTURE AND OPERATION

The Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission was established on November 30,

2001, when the Select Committee on Establishing an Electoral Boundaries Commission of the

Nova Scotia House of Assembly issued its Report. The Commission was composed of nine

people, with Dr. 1. Colin Dodds (Halifax) appointed as Chair. The other menlbers of the

Commission were as follows: Mrs. Anne L. Dillman (Musquodoboit Valley), Mr. Douglas Hill

(Lunenburg), Mr. John F. Kitz (Halifax), Dr. Ronald G. Landes (Dartmouth), M. Hayden Landry

(Tusket), Dr. Andrew Molloy (Cape Breton Regional Municipality), Mr. Ian Spencer

(Antigonish), and Ms. Candace Thomas (Dartmouth). The staff of the Commission consisted of

two people, a bilingual secretary and an executive assistant. Dr. Landes, a member of the

Commission, was asked to serve as Director of the Commission, responsible for organizing and

running the office of the Commission on a day-to-day basis.

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During the course of its work, the Commission held fourteen business meetings, on the

following dates:

January 12, 2002January 25, 2002February 23, 2002 .March 23, 2002April 6-7, 2002April 26-27, 2002May 4, 2002

June 1, 2002June 15,2002June 22, 2002June 26, 2002July 29-30, 2002August 8, 2002August 30,2002

For twelve of its fourteen business meetings, all members were present. Eight of nine

members were present for the other two meetings. All members were present for those business

meetings which dealt with boundary recommendations for both the Interim and Final Reports, as

well as for the consideration of and revisions to both Reports.

In order to ensure the independence and non-partisanship of the Commission from the

outset, the following operating procedures were adopted by the Commission at its meeting of

January 12, 2002:

1. All matters dealt with by the Commission are part of the public record. No privatemeetings and consultations will be held by the Commission for any individual orgroup.

2. Members of the Commission must refrain from any overt partisan participationduring the tenure of the Commission.

3. During the course of its meetings and deliberations, the Commission will notconsider the partisan implications of any of its recommendations.

With respect to the public consultation process, the Commission agreed it would not

consider any proposed boundary changes for its Interim Report until after the First Round of

Public Hearings had been completed. Similarly, no proposed boundary changes were

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recommended by the Commission for its Final Report until after the Second Round of Public

Hearings had been completed, until transcripts of those hearings were reviewed by Commission

members, and until the Commission had reviewed all written submissions. Such procedures were

adopted by the Commission to ensure that the public consultation process was real and effective.

3: TERMS OF REFERENCE

The following Terms of Reference for the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission

were established by the Select Committee on Establishing an Electoral Boundaries Commission

of the Legislative Assembly of Nova Scotia in its Report (pp. 4-5) ofNovember 30,2001.

Terms of Reference for the Provincial Boundaries CommissionIn keeping with the constitutional right to effective representation, the Committee recommendsthe following terms of reference for the Provincial Boundaries Commission in determining theProvince's electoral boundaries:

The primary factors to be considered by the Provincial Boundaries Commission to ensureeffective representation are:1. of paramount importance, relative parity of voting power achieved through

constituencies of equal electoral population to the extent reasonably possible;2. geography, and in particular the difficulty in representing a large physical area;3. community history;4. community interests, and5. minority representation, including, in particular, representation of the Acadian and

Black peoples ofNova Scotia.

Based on the most recent population and electoral statistics available to the ProvincialBoundaries Commission, the Commission is to delineate electoral boundaries to achieve a 52­member Legislative Assembly, not counting any additional member authorized pursuant toSection 6 of the House ofAssembly Act.

The Provincial Boundaries Commission is to be governed by the general principle that aconstituency should not deviate by greater or lesser than 25 per cent from the averagenumber of electors per constituency, except in extraordinary circumstances.Extraordinary circumstances are the desire to promote minority representation by NovaScotia's Acadian and Black communities.

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The Commission is to be guided by the principle that deviations from parity of voting power areonly justified on the ground that they contribute to better government of the populace as a whole,giving due weight to regional issues within the populace and geographic factors within theterritory governed.

After considering the preceding criteria, county boundaries should be followed where possible,reflecting the historical use of cou!lty lines in delineating Nova Scotia's electoral map.

In considering minority representation, the Commission shall seek out the advice, support andcooperation of, in particular, representatives of the Acadian and Black communities in NovaScotia.

In discharging its mandate, the Provincial Boundaries Commission shall conduct such hearings,and hear such representations and consider such other infonnation, at such times and places as itdeems advisable, respecting existing electoral districts and the establishment of new electoraldistricts in the Province, and the area, name, representation and implementation of those electoraldistricts.

Responsibilities of the Provincial Boundaries CommissionThe Commission will hold public meetings and prepare a preliminary report. After making thispreliminary report public, the Commission will hold further public meetings and will thenprepare a final report.

Time for Completion of the Provincial Boundaries Commission ReportThe Committee recommends that the Provincial Boundaries Commission complete and submitits report to the Attorney General of Nova Scotia, as designate of the premier of Nova Scotia onor before the 30th day of May 2002, or as immediately thereafter as is reasonably possible, but inno case later than in time for consideration of the Commission's recommendation by theLegislature at the Spring sitting of the House of Assembly in 2002.

4: ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF THETERMS OF REFERENCE

The Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission spent a considerable amount of time

discussing its Tenns of Reference and the Carter case. The Commission's Tenns of Reference

are based on, drawn directly from, and infused with the Carter case.

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The Carter Case

The Supreme Court of Canada's decision in the Carter case on June 6, 1991 (Reference re

Provincial Electoral Boundaries [Saskatchewan)) remains the only judgment made to date by

the Supreme Court on the drawing of electoral boundaries in Canada. On an appeal from a case

dealing with the drawing of provincial electoral boundaries in Saskatchewan, the Supreme Court

of Canada delineated a number of factors that may need to be taken into account in drawing

electoral boundaries at both the federal and provincial levels of government. Citing Section 3 of

the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which grants the right to vote in federal and

provincial elections to Canadian citizens, the Supreme Court ruled that the right to vote meant, in

fact, the right to effective representation based on the relative parity of voting power. Moreover,

decisions with respect to the drawing of provincial electoral boundaries were subject to the

process ofjudicial review under Section 3 of the Charter.

Writing for the majority In the Carter case, Madame Justice Beverly McLachlin

interpreted the purpose of the electoral process in a liberal democracy to be that of effective

representation, not simply the right to cast a ballot. Rejecting the American notion of absolute

equality of voting power and based, instead, on the Canadian historical experience and tradition,

the Supreme Court asserted that the concept of effective representation must be predicated on the

relative parity of voting power among citizens. Perfect or absolute parity or equality of voting

power is both unattainable and undesirable in the Canadian context: other factors - such as

geography, historical traditions, community interests, minority representation - maybe taken

into account in the drawing of electoral boundaries. Thus, the key idea is not the equality or

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parity of voting power but the relative parity of voting power, that is, an "approximate equality"

in the voting power of citizens. At the same time, however, the Supreme Court of Canada

indicated in the Carter decision that numbers are not unimportant - "due weight" must be given

"to voter parity but admits other considerations where necessary."

Deviations from voter parity, based on such considerations as geography, community

interests, and minority representation, must be justifiable by providing or contributing "to better

government of the populace as a whole." Thus, the question becomes one of how extensive are

the deviations allowed from parity of voting power by the concept of relative parity of voting

power. The Canadian practice, both before and after the Canadian Charter of Rights and

Freedoms and the Carter decision, has been to use a ± factor (plus-or-minus factor) as a way of

operationalizing the idea of relative parity of voting power.

A ± factor is the percentage by which· a given constituency may be over or under the

average constituency (parity of voting power), based on either population or electors. The ±

factor allows for recognition of factors, such as geography, community interests, community

history, and minority representation, in the drawing of electoral boundaries. In the Carter case,

the Supreme Court of Canada did not approve of, or stipulate, any specific ± factor that would be

automatically acceptable. The constitutionality of a specific ± factor (e.g., 10 percent, 25 percent)

is dependent on how it has been used in a particular electoral redistribution. As a general rule,

according to the Supreme Court of Canada, any deviations greater than the specified ± factor

(assuming one has been established) would have to be based and justified "on the ground that

they contribute to better government of the populace as a whole ...."

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The impact of the Supreme Court's ruling in the Carter case has been significant in the

drawing of electoral boundaries in Canada: it has asserted the power ofjudicial review over both

provincial and federal electoral redistributions and it has specified the factors that may need to be

considered in such exercises. However, as mentioned earlier, the Carter case did not define or

approve of a specific ± factor a priori, nor did it define what it meant by such key terms as

relative parity of voting power or community interests. As a result, such concepts are "elastic"

in terms of both their interpretation and application in specific contexts.

The legislative-mandated Terms of Reference given to the Provincial Electoral

Boundaries Commission reflect the Nova Scotia House of Assembly's assessment of how the

Supreme Court's decision in the Carter case is to be applied in redrawing provincial electoral

boundaries in the province of Nova Scotia. Key phrases and ideas from the Carter case

(effective representation, relative parity of voting power) are incorporated into the Terms of

Reference for the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission. The Terms of Reference for the

Nova Scotia Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission have been presented, in their entirety,

in the previous section of this Report. The Commission's understanding and interpretation of the

specifics of these Terms of Reference are presented below.

Terms of Reference

During its Public Consultation Process, the Commission did seek the public's views on

the appropriate number of seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly. However, the

Commission' recognized that the number of seats in the Nova Scotia House 'of Assembly is

specifically set by the Terms of Reference given to the Commission: that number is 52, plus one

possible additional member to represent the aboriginal community (Section 6 of the House of

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Assembly Act). As a result, the Commission's recommendations are based on a 52-seat

Legislature.

The basis for the Commission's deliberations and recommendations was described in the

following phrases in the Terms of Reference: "constituencies of equal electoral population,"

"based on the most recent population and electoral statistics available," and "average number of

electors per constituency" established the framework for the Commission's deliberations and

recommendations. Population was understood to mean all individuals residing in the province.

Electors are those persons who have a right to vote in an election. The terms population and

electors, therefore, refer to different bases. The Commission, for both its Interim and Final

Reports, therefore considered, and used, both types of data. For its seat entitlement index, which

was used to determine potential changes in electoral boundaries and recommend specific

boundary proposals, the Commission used electors, defined as those Canadian citizens residing

in Nova Scotia 18 years and older.

The Commission was instructed to consider five primary factors in order to ensure

effective representation: (1.) relative parity of voting power achieved through constituencies of

equal electoral population to the extent reasonably possible (2.) geography (3.) community

history (4.) community interests and (5.) minority representation. All five factors would need to

be considered in the Commission's proposals, but the factors would not be of equal weight. Not

only was relative parity of voting power listed as the first of the five primary variables, it was the

only variable described as "of paramount importance." The Commission notes that the word

paramount means "of chief concern or importance; primary; foremost" and "supreme in rank,

power, or authorityH (Houghton Mifflin Canadian Dictionary of the English Language, p. 951).

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In other words, relative parity of voting power was the most fundamental or significant factor

among the five primary variables. The Commission's interpretation was that, if there was a

conflict between relative parity of voting power and the other primary variables, then relative

parity of voting power would take precedence.

Four paragraphs after listing the Commission's primary factors for consideration, the

Terms of Reference also indicated that "after [emphasis added] considering the preceding

criteria" - which included the five primary factors, one of which was of "paramount importance"

- "county boundaries should be followed where possible, reflecting the historical use of county

lines in delineating Nova Scotia's electoral map." If county boundary lines are not listed in the

series of primary factors then, logically, they must be considered, at least, secondary factors that

are not as important as the primary factors. Thus, if necessary in order to achieve relative parity

of voting power and to reflect factors of geography, community history, community interests,

and minority representation, county boundary lines might be crossed in recommending revised

electoral constituencies.

Until the 1991-1992 electoral redistribution in Nova Scotia, county boundaries had

always· served as the explicit basis for electoral districts. Each county was given one seat, with

more populous counties granted additional representation. The number of seats for each county

was determined by the Legislature, with revised constituency boundaries drawn within county

lines. Because of the impact of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the Carter

case, this pattern changed in 1992. The previous Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission

recommended constituency boundaries which crossed county lines in five places. The need to

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cross county boundary lines is a direct consequence of the "paramount importance" of "relative

parityofvoting power."

The present Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission has sought to limit the crossing

of county lines, except when it has been deemed necessary to achieve effective representation for

the province of Nova Scotia as a whole. Thus, the current Commission has recommended

revised electoral districts which cross county lines in six places. However, counties still serve as

the basis for the proposed electoral districts. For example, counties such as Shelburne,

Richmond, Antigonish, and Inverness each are recommended for a single legislative seat.

Others, such as Pictou and Cumberland, have electoral districts created within county

boundaries. Even when county lines have had to be crossed, the Commission has used a county

as the basis of a constituency, as in the recommended electoral districts of Victoria - The Lakes

or Guysborough - Sheet Harbour.

In making its recommendations, the Commission was given a ± factor of 25 percent,

which could be used to accommodate the various factors (geography, community history,

community interests, minority representation) inside constituencies of different electoral size.

For example, the Commission considered it appropriate that, in most cases, rural constituencies

could have fewer electors residing in larger geographical areas while, in most cases, urban

constituencies could have more electors residing in smaller geographical areas. However, the

disparities between rural and urban constituencies would still have to be within the ± 25 percent

range in order to produce effective representation based on relative parity of voting power.

Thus, as a general rule of thumb, more rural constituencies would be on the minus side and more

urban constituencies on the plus side of the Commission's ± factor of 25 percent.

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The Commission's view of its ± factor of 25 percent was that the ± factor set the

minimum and maximum variations the Commission might use in accommodating the various

significant factors inside the key dictum of relative parity of voting power. The number of

recommended constituencies that would be close to either the minimum or maximum variations

allowed was a matter within the Commission's discretion.

The only exception to this pattern of constituencies within the ± 25 percent factor would

be with respect to minority representation. The Commission's Terms of Reference indicate that

constituencies should not differ by more than 25 percent "except in extraordinary

circumstances." The Commission's Terms of Reference explicitly define what those

extraordinary circumstances are, namely, "the desire to promote minority representation by Nova

Scotia's Acadian and Black communities." The Commission interpreted these instructions,

which it called the "extraordinary circumstances clause," to mean that, except for the issue of

minority representation, all other constituencies would need to fall within the stipulated ± factor

of 25 percent.

The Commission's Terms of Reference thus specified a series of factors which would

have a bearing on its recommendations regarding electoral boundaries for the Nova Scotia House

of Assembly: five primary factors, one of which was of paramount importance; county

boundaries; and an "exceptional circumstances clause" with respect to minority representation

for Nova Scotia's Acadian and Black communities. All of these factors would somehow have to

be considered and reconciled in the Commission's recommendations. Since there is no precise

way to reconcile these factors, the Commission acknowledges the need to make ')udgment calls"

in recommending a pattern of effective representation for the people ofNova Scotia.

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The Commission notes that some public reaction to the Interim Report came from an

apparent misunderstanding of the Terms of Reference as a "total package" of factors, all of

which had to be considered. Instead, the tendency for some of the criticisms was to "cherry­

pick" from the Commission's TeIms of Reference, that is, to select one factor, such as

community interests or county boundaries, and to base the argument on that factor alone, usually

ignoring or rej ecting the Commission's primary factor of "relative parity of voting power,"

which was of "paramount importance." In contrast, in both its Interim and Final Reports, the

Commission has sought to consider its Terms of Reference as a total package of factors which

would have to be analyzed and implemented in making recommendations for possible changes in

the province's electoral boundaries.

A final element of the Commission's Terms of Reference was a submission date of "on

or before the 30th day of May 2002, or as immediately thereafter as is reasonably possible, but in

no case later than in time for consideration of the Commission's recommendation by the

Legislature at the Spring sitting of the House of Assembly in 2002." The Commission worked

hard to try to meet this deadline. However, given its mandated two-rounds of province-wide

public hearings and the extensive number of oral and written submissions which it received, the

Commission requested, and was granted, two extensions to its deadline: first, to June 30, 2002

and second, to August 31, 2002. Having completed its work at its meeting of August 30, 2002,

the Commission sought a final extension to mid-September, 2002, for the sole purpose of

submitting its Final Report to the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

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5: THE PUBLIC CONSULTATION PROCESS

In order to maximize the public's participation in the electoral boundary revision process,

the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission adopted the following procedures.

First, the Commission developed its own web site: www.nspebc.ca.This site could also

be accessed through the web site for the government of Nova Scotia: www.gov.ns.ca. The web

site was used to provide updates on the Commission's work, background materials on the nature

of electoral redistributions, announcements for both the First and Second Round of Public

Hearings, transcripts for both rounds of public hearings, publication of the Commission's Interim

and Final Reports, and contact information (phone numbers, a fax number, and an e-mail

address). Also, the web site contained a "make a comment" section by which the public could

contact the Commission directly.

A second innovative feature of the Commission's public consultation process was its

Information Package, which also was posted on its web site. In an attempt to engage the public

for the First Round of Public Hearings, the Information Package contained the most recent

electoral and population data for Nova Scotia (at that time, 1999), as well as a series of ten

questions for public comment. These questions asked about the number of seats in the

Legislature; the use of protected constituencies - especially for minority representation; how the

Commission might make use of its ± factor of 25 percent; and possible differences in the

population size of rural and urban constituencies. The complete list of questions in the

Commission's Information Package can be found in Appendix A of this Report. The

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Commission is of the opinion that the Information Package helped to spur, as well as to focus,

the public's participation in the ensuing consultation process.

In order to help bring the work of the Commission to the public's attention, the Chair of

the Commission, Dr. 1. Colin Dodds, participated in a number of media interviews. Several news

releases were also sent to various media outlets. As well, the Commission's schedules for both

its First and Second Round of Public Hearings were advertised province-wide, as well as in local

newspapers. The Commission also notified all current MLAs and municipal units about its work.

The date for the release of the Commission's Interim Report was also advertised province-wide.

A special concern of the Select Committee was that the Commission "seek out the

advice, support and cooperation of, in particular, representatives of the Acadian and Black

communities in Nova Scotia" with respect to minority representation. In addition to the

opportunity for representatives of both groups to appear at both rounds of public hearings, the

Commission sought to enhance that consultation process in the following ways.

For the Acadian community, the Commission hired a bilingual secretary. The

Commission also accepted submissions in either of Canada's official languages. Several public

hearings were designated as bilingual, with simultaneous translation provided. During the First

Round of Public Hearings, bilingual sessions were held in Dartmouth (February 22, 2002), Port

Hawkesbury (March 15,2002), Church Point (March 22, 2002), and Yarmouth (AprilS, 2002).

During the Second Round of Public Hearings a bilingual session was held in Port Hawkesbury

(June 3, 2002). Any submission made in French at the public hearings or any written submission

in French was translated and provided to all Commission members.

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For the Black community, a public hearing was held at the Black Cultural Centre during

both rounds of public hearings (February 23, 2002 and May 29, 2002). In order to encourage the

participation of the Black community in its public consultation process, the Commission's Chair

wrote letters to prominent members of the Black community in the ,Preston area before the

Second Round ofPublic Hearings commenced.

Finally, the Commission adopted a user-friendly policy in the public consultation

process. The Commission sought to acknowledge all submissions, to provide any reasonable

information request, to answer as promptly as possible all telephone messages, and to provide a

friendly and open atmosphere at the public hearings. For example, after the advertisement of the

Commission's First Round of Public Hearings, requests for additional hearing sites were

received from four areas. The Commission, after considering these requests, agreed to add an

additional public hearing in Baddeck. Similarly, at the public's. request, an additional hearing

was added in Amherst during the Second Round of Public Hearings.

The significance of the Commission's Public Consultation Process can be seen both in

the number of participants in the electoral boundary review process and the impact of that

participation on the Commission's recommendations.

The First Round of Public Hearings (Appendix B) included 14 public hearings held over

12 days. A total of 72 individuals presented their views to the Commission at the public hearings

(Appendix C). A further 73 members of the public provided written submissions to the

Commission during the First Round of Public Hearings (Appendix D).

18

The Second Round of Public Hearings (Appendix E) included 11 public hearings held

over 10 days. Presenters included 152 concerned citizens (Appendix F). A further 179 written

submissions were received by the Commission (Appendix G).

The totals for the public's participation in both sets of public hearings are as follows: (1.)

25 public hearings held over 22 days (2.) 224 presenters at the public hearings and (3.) 252

written presentations submitted to the Commission. If telephone calls, media coverage, and

attendance at the public hearings by non-presenters are included, then the public was certainly

involved in the Commission's Public Consultation Process.

The second significant impact of the Commission's consultative process can be seen in

changes made to its recommendations between the Commission's Interim and Final Reports. As

the Commission stressed in its Interim Report, the initial recommendations of the Commission

were a "work in progress rather than a series of decisions cast in concrete." The Commission

listened to the public's reaction to its Interim Report, reviewed transcripts from the public

hearings, analyzed the submissions it received, and altered its recommendations in a number of

areas. In its Final Report the Commission changed its recommendations from those of the

Interim Report in a number of respects. To be specific, these were the number of constituencies

which fell under its "extraordinary circumstances clause," the size (both population -'and

geography) of the recommended constituencies based on Victoria and Guysborough Counties,

the allocation of seats along both the South Shore and Eastern Shore, the boundary line between

Cumberland North and Cumberland South, and the distribution and population size of a number

of the constituencies in Halifax County. Such significant changes in the Commission's

19

recommendations between its Interim and Final Reports demonstrate the considerable impact of

the public's role in the electoral boundary revision process.

6: DATA BASE AND DATA ANALYSIS

This section presents and explains the data base employed and the process of data

analysis. All data for the Commission were prepared and analyzed by the Statistics Division of

the Nova Scotia Department of Finance. The Statistics Division within the Department of

Finance is the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency and acts under the authority of the Nova Scotia

Statistics AcL In this role the Statistics Division is the provincial focal point for working with

Statistics Canada.

Population Estimates

The initial task was to align the 2001 population counts with the 52 constituencies. These

data allowed the Commission to compare population and seat entitlements for current electoral

districts in 1991 and 2001, thus showing which constituencies had gained or lost population and

seat entitlements during the last decade.

To generate 2001 population and elector estimates for current and proposed ridings for

the Commission's Final Report, the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency proceeded as follows. After

the initial release by Statistics Canada of the 2001 population estimates for the province ofNova

Scotia on March 12, 2002, the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency used statistical modelling to refine

the data during the course of the Commission's work. As these statistics became available, the

Commission used them, applYing the revised numbers to existing and proposed boundary lines.

20

Given its Tenns of Reference, the Commission also considered not only total population

counts but electors. Electors are defined as those citizens who are eligible to vote. Electors,

thus, are a smaller group than the total population. In Nova Scotia, electors are defined as

Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older (total population minus those individuals 17 and

under and minus immigrants 18 years and older). The population estimate was thus reduced in

terms of its total numbers in producing the data set of electors, because those under 18 and

immigrants 18 and over were eliminated. As a result, while the initial 2001 population estimate

for Nova Scotia was 908,007, the number of electors was estimated to be seventy-six percent of

the province's total population.

Boundary Review and Analysis

The next step was to take total estimated electors in 2001 and allocate them to current

electoral boundaries. This calculation provided the Commission with the estimated number of

electors for each of the 52 current provincial electoral districts in 2001, which was then used to

determine the estimated seat entitlement for each current electoral district.

While such calculations· appear relatively straightforward, they are, in fact, more

complicated in actual practice. As Statistics Canada collects its population data in units called

dissemination areas, these units do not necessarily confonn either to current or proposed

electoral constituency boundaries. A specific boundary line (current or proposed) may actually

cross through one or more dissemination areas. When that happens, the dissemination area must

be divided and population numbers assigned to the constituencies on either side of a boundary

line. Electors are then detennined for each constituency as indicated above.

21

As needed, the allocation of the population within one dissemination area into two - or

occasionally three - constituencies is based on the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency's experience

and judgment. By looking at road networks, population centres, and population densities, an

informed estimate can be made.. Such divisions and assignment of dissemination areas were

made by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency, not by the Provincial Electoral Boundaries

Commission.

In preparing the population and elector estimates for both current and proposed electoral

boundaries, the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency employed the following software programs:

MapInfo Professional Geographic Infonnation System (GIS), Microsoft Access and Excel, and

Beyond 20/20 Professional Browser. A more detailed description of data issues has been written

for the Commission by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency and is presented in Appendix H of this

Report. Appendix H also contains a sample of the more detailed data which the Commission

used in preparing its boundary recommendations.

Once a possible revision in the boundary lines between constituencies was recommended

by the Commission and/or its staff, the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency was asked to redraw the

boundary lines and to produce a new set of statistics for the revised constituencies. The

Commission's staff worked with the staff at the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency in utilizing its

GIS program. The program showed on the screen the constituencies and the dissemination areas

(with population numbers). Once the revised line was added to the GIS file, the dissemination

areas were assigned and divided as appropriate by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency. A new set

of statistics and constituency maps with the revised boundary lines were given to the

Commission.

22

The Commission decided if the proposed changes worked or if further possible variations

or changes needed to be considered. This process was repeated until the Commission agreed that

the proposed changes were those that it wished to recommend in its Final Report. The

recommended boundaries were then sent to the Nova Scotia Electoral Office for preparation of

the revised maps.

7: THE ENTITLEMENT SYSTEM

Crucial to the work of the Commission is its use of an entitlement system for both

counties and constituencies. The entitlement system creates an index indicating the extent to

which each county or constituency either is above or below the provincial average. A county or

constituency that meets the provincial average would have an entitlement index of 1.00. An

entitlement index of 1.20 means the county or constituency is 20 percent above the average,

while an entitlement index of .85 indicates the county or constituency is 15 percent below the

provincial average.

The entitlement system reveals whether a constituency meets the principle of relative

parity of voting power. With a plus-or-minus factor of 25 percent, the Commission may

establish constituencies whose entitlement numbers range from .75 to 1.25. Any entitlement

below .75 or above 1.25 would have to be based on "extraordinary circumstances" in relation to

minority representation, as defined in the Commission's Tenns ofReference.

The tenn county seat entitlement means the number of legislative seats each county

would have based on its population or its electors. The seat entitlement for each county is

23

calculated as follows. The province's total population or total electors is divided by 52, which

produces the average number of people or electors for each constituency. Then, the number of

people or electors in each county is divided by the average population or elector size to produce

that county's seat entitlement.

A similar procedure is followed to produce constituency seat entitlements: the number

of people or electors in each constituency is divided by the provincial average of people or

electors to produce the seat entitlement for a particular constituency.

The seat entitlement system provides a consistent basis for comparing counties and

constituencies with respect to relative parity of voting power, because it focuses on each unit's

relative entitlement share, rather than on the absolute number of people or electors. As a result,

entitlement numbers between various data sets become comparable. For example, a seat

entitlement of 1.20 based on population has the same meaning as a seat entitlement of 1.20 based

on electors: in both cases, the seat entitlement is 20 percent above average. As the data in the

following three tables indicate, the absolute numbers change depending on the year and whether

or not the base is population or electors, but the relative entitlement shares for most

constituencies remain approximately the same. These data are the basis for many of the

Commission's recommendations.

County Population and Seat Entitlements: 1991 and 2001

Table One presents county population and county seat entitlements for 1991 and 2001,

and calculates changes between 1991 and 2001. Columns 1 and 2 present the population

estimates for each county in 1991 and 2001. Column 3 presents population gains or losses by

24

county during the past decade. Columns 4 and 5 show seat entitlements by county in both 1991

and 2001, and Column 6 presents changes in seat entitlements during the last ten years. The 1991

county population and county seat entitlements are taken from the previous Commission's Report

of March, 1992 (p. 21), while the 2001 population and seat entitlements are based on the 2001

census provided by Statistics Canada.

Table One indicates the population of Nova Scotia grew by only 8,107 from 1991 to

2001. Five counties recorded population increases from 1991 to 2001. Four of the five counties

experiencing increases are in, or near, the centre of the province (Halifax, Colchester, Hants and

Kings). Antigonish is the only exception. Halifax is by far the fastest growing county (+32,183

or +9.8 percent). Kings is second (+3,866 or +7.0 percent) and Hants is third (+2,113 or +5.5

percent).

Thirteen counties recorded population decreases from 1991 to 2001. Cape Breton (­

12,370) experienced by far the largest absolute population decrease. Three other counties

experienced population decreases of greater than 2000 [Pictou (-3,035), Digby (-2252) and

Cumberland (-2095)]. Four counties experienced relative population decreases of greater than

10 percent [Guysborough (-16.7 percent), Queens (-11.2 percent), Digby (-10.3 percent) and

Cape Breton(-10.2 percent)].

25

TABLE ONE

COUNTY POPULATION AND COUNTY SEAT ENTITLEMENTS:

1991 AND 2001

1 2 3 4 5 6Population Population Change in 1991 Seat 2001 Seat Change in Seat

COUNTY 1991 * 2001 ** Population Entitlement * Entitlement ** Entitlement

Annapolis 23,400 21,773 -1627 1.35 1.25 -.10

Antigonish 19,400 19,578 +178 1.12 1.12 0

Cape Breton 121,700 109,330 -12,370 7.03 6.26 -.77

Colchester 48,000 49,307 +1307 2.77 2.82 +.05

Cumberland 34,700 32,605 -2095 2.01 1.87 -.14

Digby 21,800 19,548 -2252 1.26 1.12 -.14

Guysborough 11,800 9,827 -1973 .68 .56 -.12

Halifax 327,000 359,183 +32,183 18.90 20.57 +1.67

Hants 38,400 40,513 +2113 2.22 2.32 +.10

Inverness 21,600 19,937 -1663 1.25 1.14 -.11

Kings 55,000 58,866 +3866 3.18 3.37 +.19

Lunenburg 47,900 47,591 -309 2.77 2.72 -.05

Pictou 50,000 46,965 -3035 2.89 2.69 -.20

Queens 13,200 11,723 -1477 .76 .67 -.09

Richmond 11,300 10,225 -1075 .65 .59 -.06

Shelburne 17,600 16,231 -1369 1.02 .93 -.09

Victoria 8,700 ·7,962 -738 ..50 .46 -.04

Yarmouth 28,400 26,843 -1557 1.64 1.54 -.10

TOTAL 899,900 908,007 +8107 ,52 52 0

Average 17,306 17,462 1.00 1.00

(52 seats)

*. .

The population figures for 1991 (Column 1) and the 1991 seat entitlements (Column 4) are takenfrom the 1992 Report of the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission (p. 21). The populationfigures for 1991 (Column 1) are the population estimates for each county provided by StatisticsCanada (December 10, 1991).

** The population figures for 2001 (Column 2) and the 2001 seat entitlements (Column 5) are based onthe unadjusted population counts by county announced by Statistics Canada on March 12,2002.

26

These increases and decreases reveal that, based on population, Halifax County has

increased its seat entitlement the most (+1.67), followed by Kings County (+.19). Cape Breton

County has decreased its seat entitlement the most (-.77), followed by Pictou County (-.20). The

data also reveal that four counties have 2001 seat entitlements, based on population, below .75

[Victoria (.46), Guysborough (.56), Richmond (.59) and Queens (.67)].

The Commission notes the increase in the relative share of the province's population

contained in Halifax County: in 2001 the population of Halifax County was 39.6 percent of the

provincial total, compared to 36.3 percent in 1991. In 1971, Halifax County's share of the

provincial population total was 33.1 percent, up from 25.2 percent in 1951 (1978 Report of the

Select Committee on Electoral Boundaries, Appendix E). Thus, in fifty years Halifax County's

share of the province's total population has increased from 25 to 40 percent.

27

Current Constituency Population and Seat Entitlements: 1991 and 2001

Table Two presents population and seat entitlement data for the current 52 constituencies

for 1991 and 2001. Table Two helped the Commission identify areas where boundary changes

may be necessary.

The data reveal six current constituencies with seat entitlements equal to or greater than

1.25 based on population. In order, they are Halifax Bedford Basin (1.55), Bedford - Fall River

(1.48), Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage (1.35), Timberlea - Prospect (1.35), Sackville ­

Beaverbank (1.31), and Hants East (1.25).

The data also reveal six current constituencies with seat entitlements less than .75 based

on population. In order, these constituencies are Victoria (.47), Argyle (.50), Clare (.52), Preston

(.59), Richmond (.59) and Queens (.67).

Current Constituency Estimated Electors and Seat Entitlements: 2001

Table Three presents seat entitlements based on electors for the current 52 constituencies

for 2001. Data are not available for 1991, as the basis for recommending constituency

boundaries in 1991 was estimated population, not electors. Table Three helped the Commission

identify the eleven current constituencies in which boundary changes might be necessary. Given

the Commission's Terms of Reference, estimated electors by constituency, not estimated

population by constituency, was employed to recommend constituency boundaries.

28

TABLE TWO

1991 AND 2001 CONSTITUENCY POPULATION AND CONSTITUENCY

SEAT ENTITLEMENTS FOR THE CURRENT ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

1* 2* 3** 4***

Current Constituency 1991 1991 Seat 2001 2001 SeatPopulation Entitlement Population Entitlement

1 Annapolis 17,900 1.03 18,441 1.062 Antigonish 19,600 1.13 19,578 1.123 Argyle 9,500 0.55 8,688 0.504 Bedford - Fall River 20,200 1.17 25,905 1.485 Glace Bay 16,700 0.96 14,381 0.826 Cape Breton East 20,100 1.16 17,123 0.987 Cape Breton North 17,900 1.04 15,331 0.888 Cape Breton Nova 15,900 0.92 13,871 0.799 Cape Breton South 18,800 1.09 14,839 0.8510 Cape Breton The Lakes 16,700 0.97 17,035 0.9811 Cape Breton West 15,600 0.90 16,750 0.9612 Chester-St. Margaret's 17,500 1.01 18,098 1.0413 Clare 9,700 0.56 9,067 0.5214 Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley 16,800 0.97 18,709 1.0715 ColchesterNorth 16,500 0.95 17,891 1.0216 Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage 19,500 1.13 23,576 1.3517 Cumberland North 18,100 1.05 17,662 1.0118 Cumberland South 16,600 0.96 14,943 0.8619 Dartmouth-Cole Harbour 17,900 1.03 19,883 1.1420 Dartmouth East 17,900 1.03 17,006 0.9721 Dartmouth North 19,700 1.14 19,146 1.1022 Dartmouth South 20,700 1.20 19,962 1.1423 Digby-Annapolis 17,600 1.02 13,813 0.7924 Eastern Shore 16,500 0.95 16,968 0.9725 Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury 15,800 0.91 14,004 0.8026 Halifax Atlantic 20,700 1.20 20,752 1.1927 Halifax Bedford Basin 20,400 1.18 27,036 1.5528 Halifax Chebucto 20,100 1.16 17,132 0.9829 Halifax Citadel 20,100 1.16 21,645 1.2430 Halifax Fairview 20,500 1.19 19,117 1.0931 Halifax Needham 19,800 1.14 19,666 1.1332 Hants East 19,100 1.10 21,753 1.2533 Hants West 19,300 1.12 18,760 1.0734 Inverness 17,000 0.99 15,502 0.8935 Kings North 18,000 1.04 19,498 1.12

29

TABLE TWO

1991 AND 2001 CONSTITUENCY POPULATION AND CONSTITUENCY

SEAT ENTITLEMENTS FOR THE CURRENT ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

1* 2* 3** 4***

Current 1991 1991 Seat 2001 2001 SeatConstituency Population Entitlement Population Entitlement

36 Kings South 19,100 1.10 19,204 1.1037 Kings West 18,000 1.04 20,164 1.1538 Lunenburg 18,200 1.05 17,198 0.9839 Lunenburg West 18,500 1.07 19,358 1.1140 Pictou Centre 18,400 1.06 17,039 0.9841 Pictou East 16,400 0.95 15,613 0.8942 Pictou West 15,200 0.88 14,313 0.8243 Preston 8,700 0.50 10,249 0.5944 Queens 13,200 0.76 11,723 0.6745 Richmond 11,300 0.65 10',225 0.5946 Sackville - Beaverbank 16,900 0.98 22,798 1.3147 Sackville Cobequid 19,400 1.12 21,380 1.2248 Shelburne 17,600 1.02 16,231 0.9349 Timberlea - Prospect 16,600 0.96 23,596 1.3550 Truro - Bible Hill 19,700 1.14 19,010 1.0951 Victoria 9,000 0.52 8,220 0.4752 Yarmouth 18,900 1.09 18,155 1.04

Total 899,900 52.00 908,007 52.00Average 17,306 17,462

*

**

***

The 1991 population estimates (Column 1) and the 1991 seat entitlements (Column 2) are takenfrom the 1992 Report of the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission (pp. 36-37).

The 2001 population figures (Column 3) are the unadjusted population counts for each currentprovincial electoral constituency, based on Statistics Canada data released on March 12,2002.

The 2001 seat entitlements (Column 4) are calculated by dividing each constituency's populationby the provincial population constituency average based on 52 constituencies (908,007/52 =17,462).

30

The data reveal five current constituencies with seat entitlements equal to or greater than

1.25 based on estimated electors. In order, they are Halifax Bedford Basin (1.56), Bedford­

Fall River (1.43), Halifax Citadel (1.31), Timberlea - Prospect (1.27) and Cole Harbour ­

Eastern Passage (1.25). Two constituencies, which had seat entitlements above 1.25 based

on population, had seat entitlements below 1.25 based on estimated electors [Hants East

(1.20) and Sackville - Beaverbank (1.23)]. One constituency, which had a seat entitlement

based on population below 1.25, had a seat entitlement based on estimated electors of greater

than 1.25 (Halifax Citadel 1.24 and 1.31 respectively).

The data also reveal six current constituencies with seat entitlements less than .75 based

on estimated electors. In order, these constituencies are Victoria (.46), Argyle (.50), Clare

(.55), Preston (.55), Richmond (.61) and Queens (.70).

The reader should note that these tables are similar to those presented in the

Commission's Interim Report, except for the seat entitlements for the Queens and Lunenburg

West constituencies. The 2001 population and seat entitlements for the constituencies of

Lunenburg West and Queens in Table Two (Colums 3 and 4) and for the seat entitlements

based on electors in Table Three (Column 1) have been revised. A detailed explanation for

this change is presented by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency in Appendix I: Queens County

Data Revision.

TABLE THREE

2001 SEAT ENTITLEMENTS BY ELECTORS FOR

CURRENT ELECTORAL DISTRICTS *

Current Constituency 2001 SeatEntitlement

1 Annapolis 1.082 Antigonish 1.093 Argyle 0.504 Bedford - Fall River 1.435 Cape Breton Centre 0.846 Glace Bay 1.017 Cape Breton North 0.898 Cape Breton Nova 0.809 Cape Breton South 0.8910 Cape Breton The Lakes 0.9311 Cape Breton West 0.9712 Chester - S1. Margaret's 1.0813 Clare 0.5514 Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley 1.0515 Colchester North 1.0116 Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage 1.2517 Cumberland North 1.0318 Cumberland South 0.8819 Dartmouth - Cole Harbour 1.0920 Dartmouth East 0.9621 Dartmouth North 1.1022 Dartmouth South 1.1723 Digby - Annapolis 0.8224 Eastern Shore 0.9625 Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury 0.8226 Halifax Atlantic· 1.1627 Halifax Bedford Basin 1.5628 Halifax Chebucto 1.0329 Halifax Citadel 1.3130 Halifax Fairview 1.1331 HalifaxNeedham 1.1832 Hants East 1.2033 Hants West 1.0934 Inverness 0.8735 Kings North 1.11

31

TABLE THREE

2001 SEAT ENTITLEMENTS BY ELECTORS FOR

CURRENT ELECTORAL DISTRICTS *

Current Constituency 2001 SeatEntitlement

36 Kings South 1.1037 Kings West 1.1238 Lunenburg 1.0239 Lunenburg West 1.1440 Pictou Centre 1.0041 Pictou East 0.9142 Pictou West 0.8443 Preston 0.5544 Queens 0.7045 Richmond 0.6146 Sackville - Beaverbank 1.2347 Sackville - Cobequid 1.1748 Shelburne 0.9349 Timberlea - Prospect 1.2750 Truro - Bible Hill 1.1051 Victoria 0.4652 Yarmouth 1.03

32

* Electors are defined as Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older (total population minus thoseindividuals 17 and under and minus immigrants 18 years and older).

33

8: THE PROPOSED ELECTORAL REDISTRIBUTION

In preparing its Final Report, the Commission worked on the premise that all previous

decisions and recommendations in its Interim Report were "on the table." The Commission

started with a clean slate and re-worked through its Terms of Reference, based on the information

the public had provided during both the First and Second Round of Public Hearings, on updated

statistics provided by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency, and on its own additional analysis. In

Table Four the Commission presents its data (electors and seat entitlements) for its recommended

electoral districts. The recommendations are presented in the order that the Commission actually

made them - beginning with the number of seats in the Legislature and the issue of minority

representation, through areas of possible seat loss and seat gain, to the specifics of particular

electoral boundaries.

The initial issue for the Commission to consider was the size of the Legislature. As

previously noted, the Commission's Terms of Reference specified the number of seats. As a

result, the Commission's first recommendation simply reaffirms the continuation of a 52-seat

Legislature.

1.. The Commission reaffirms the continuation of "a 52-member Legislative Assembly, not

counting any additional member authorized pursuant to Section 6 of the House of Assembly

Act."

34

TABLE FOUR

PROPOSED ELECTORAL DISTRICTS 2002:ELECTORS AND SEAT ENTITLEMENTS(sorted by seat entitlement, lowest to highest)

1* 2**Proposed Constituency 2001 2001 Seat

Electors Entitlement

3 Argyle 6,718 0.5043 Preston 7,335 0.5513 Clare 7,337 0.5545 Richmond 8,060 0.6025 Guysborough - Sheet Harbour 10,383 0.7851 Victoria - The Lakes 10,413 0.7844 Queens 10,534 0.7924 Eastern Shore 10,569 0.7923 Digby - Annapolis 10,860 0.8242 Pictou West 11,107 0.838 Cape Breton Nova 11,107 0.8316 Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage 11,477 0.8618 Cumberland South 11,662 0.8841 Pictou East 12,069 0.915 Cape Breton Centre 12,168 0.9148 Shelburne 12,371 0.9340 Pictou Centre 13,251 0.9915 Colchester North 13,270 1.006 Glace Bay 13,378 1.004 Waverley - Fall River 13,490 1.0114 Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley 13,649 1.0217 Cumberland North 13,707 1.0352 Yannouth 13,749 1.0312 Lunenburg 13,782 1.0338 Lunenburg West 13,783 1.037 Cape Breton North 13,825 1.041 Annapolis 14,321 1.0846 Hammonds Plains - Upper Sack:ville 14,407 1.0833 Hants West 14,485 1.092 Antigonish 14,522 1.0936 Kings South 14,621 1.1035 Kings North 14,742 1.119 Cape Breton South 14,804 1.1137 Kings West 14,870 1.1249 Chester - S1. Margaret's 14,892 1.1250 Truro - Bible Hill 14,898 1.1234 Inverness 14,961 1.1247 Sackville - Cobequid 14,980 1.1211 Cape Breton West 15,026 1.1339 Timberlea - Prospect 15,053 1.13

35

TABLE FOUR:

PROPOSED ELECTORAL DISTRICTS 2002:ELECTORS AND SEAT ENTITLEMENTS(sorted by seat entitlement, lowest to highest)

1* 2**Proposed Constituency 2001 2001 Seat

Electors Entitlement

27 Halifax Clayton Park 15,115 1.1330 Halifax Fairview 15,204 1.1420 Dartmouth East 15,279 1.1528 Halifax Chebucto 15,280 1.1519 Cole Harbour 15,355 1.1521 Dartmouth North 15,421 1.1626 Halifax Atlantic 15,445 1.1629 Halifax Citadel 15,755 1.1822 Dartmouth South - Portland Valley 15,777 1.1831 Halifax Needham 15,847 1.1910 Bedford 15,944 1.2032 Hants East 15,978 1.20

Total 693,040Average 13,328

* Electors are defined as Canadian citizens 18 years of age and older (total population minus those individuals 17 andunder and minus immigrants 18 years and older), based on the 2001 census data.

** The 2001 seat entitlement based on electors is obtained by dividing the total number of electors (693,040) by thenumber of seats (52), which produces the provincial average of electors as 13,328. The number of electors (Column 1)in each proposed constituency is then divided by the provincial average to produce that constituency's seat entitlement(Column 2).

36

The Commission reviewed the use of the five protected constituencies created in 1992.

The Commission decided not to continue to use the term "protected constituencies," but instead

use the "extraordinary circumstances clause" contained in its Terms of Reference. To assist in

making recommendations with respect to representation by Nova Scotia's Acadian and Black

communities, the Commission obtained 1996 Census data from Statistics Canada. The data

obtained were the estimated number of Nova Scotians whose mother tongue is French, whose

home language is French, and who are a visible minority, black. The data were obtained for each

county and selected municipal districts and subdivisions within counties.

A brief overview of these Statistics Canada data reveals an estimated 35,040 Nova

Scotians whose mother tongue is French, 19,955 whose home language is French, and 18,155

who are visible minority, black. In percentage terms these estimates equal 3.8 percent, 2.2

percent and 2.0 percent of the Nova Scotia population. These results suggest both minorities are

substantial in number and greater than an average constituency.

In three counties the percentage of the population whose mother tongue is French

exceeded 20 percent: Digby (33 percent), Richmond (29 percent) and Yarmouth (23 percent).

Within the District of Clare in Digby County, 70 percent of the population have French as their

mother tongue, while in the District of Argyle within Yarmouth County, that percentage is 54

percent.

Nova Scotia's black population is spread more evenly throughout the province than is its

Acadian population. Only three counties report black population percentages above 3 percent and

37

all three are under 4 percent [Guysborough (3.9 percent), Halifax (3.5 percent) and Digby (3.1

percent)]. In absolute tenns, however, 66 percent of all black Nova Scotians (12,005 of 18,155)

reside in Halifax County. Of these, about 2,500 reside within the Preston riding, with another

2,500 residing in the north end of the fonner city of Halifax in the Halifax Needham constituency.

Given the absolute size of these two constituencies (Preston 7,335 electors and Halifax Needham

15,847 electors), however, the percentage of black voters in Preston is considerably higher.

2. The Commission recommends that the four constituencies for minority

representation be retained as they currently exist (Clare, Argyle, Richmond, and Preston).

(In its Interim Report, the Commission had recommended three constituencies for inclusion under

its "extraordinary circumstances clause:" Clare, Argyle and Preston. The Victoria riding was the

fifth protected constituency in 1992, but the basis of protection was geography, which is not an

"extraordinary circumstance" as specified in the current Commission's Terms ofReference.)

The use of the term "protected constituencies" in the 1992 redistribution and the current

Commission's "extraordinary circumstances clause" for minority representation has generated

considerable public comment. The Commission feels that this method of encouraging minority

representation should be re-evaluated during the next electoral redistribution.

3. The Commission recommends, during the next electoral redistribution, that the

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission re-evaluate the method of encouraging

minority representation.

38

Following the Commission's recommendation regarding the use of its "extraordinary

circumstances clause" with respect to minority representation, the Commission proceeded to

determine which, if any, constituencies might remain as they are currently constituted and which

areas of the province, if any, might be either over-represented or under-represented. In Table

Five the Commission presents its data regarding electors and seat entitlements by region for the

province. The review of the data in both Table Five, along with that in Tables Two and Three,

indicated that Halifax County was under-represented and that Cape Breton Island was over-

represented. Each specific constituency was then reviewed in terms of its own size and in tenus

of neighbouring or contiguous constituencies in relation to the question of under-representation

and over-representation in the House of Assembly.

4, The Commission recommends no change in the current electoral boundaries of the

following twenty-five constituencies:

AnnapolisAntigonishArgyleClareColchester-Musquodoboit ValleyColchester NorthCumberland NorthCumberland SouthDigby-AnnapolisHalifax AtlanticHalifax FairviewHants EastHants West

Kings NorthKings SouthKings WestLunenburgPictou CentrePictou EastPictou WestPrestonRichmondShelburneTruro-Bible HillYarmouth

(In its Interim Report, the Commission recommended no changes to 19 constituencies.)

39

TABLE FIVE

SEAT ENTITLEMENTS, ACTUAL AND PROPOSED SEATS BY REGION

1 2 3 4 5

Region Counties Included Electors in Seat Current Number of

in Each Region Each Region Entitlement Number of Seats

2001 (from by RegionI

Seats2 Proposed by

Table Six) Region3

Cape Breton, Victoria,

Cape Breton Inverness, Richmond 113,742 8.53 10.24 9.00

Antigonish,

Northeastern Guysborough, Pictou, 121,619 9.12 9.45 9.43

Colchester,

Cumberland

Hants, Kings,

Annapolis Valley Annapolis 91,732 6.89 6.25 6.25

Digby, Yarmouth,

Southwestern Shelburne, Queens, 94,889 7.12 8.38 8.32

Lunenburg

Halifax Halifax 271,058 20.34 17.68 19.00

All Regions693,040

52.00 52.00 52.00

Average 13,328

ElectorslRiding

Source: This table used data from Table Six and the reader should note that it is the work of the Provincial ElectoralBoundaries Commission, not that of the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency.

IElectors in each constituency divided by 13,328, the average number of electors.

2Four current constituencies are split between regions. Digby-Annapolis has 75 percent of its electors in Digby Countyand 25 percent in Annapolis County; Chester - S1. Margaret's is 63 percent Lunenburg County and 37 percent HalifaxCounty; Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley is 69 percent Colchester County and 31 percent Halifax County; andGuysborough - Port Hawkesbury is 76 percent Guysborough County and 24 percent Inverness County.

JFour proposed constituencies are split between regions. Two are unchanged (Digby - Annapolis and ColchesterMusquodoboit Valley). Boundary changes are recommended for the current Chester - S1. Margaret's constituency, whichalters the split 57 percent Lunenburg County and 43 percent Halifax County. Guysborough - Sheet Harbour, a newproposed constituency, is 74 percent Guysborough County and 26 percent Halifax County.

40

After concluding which constituencies could remain as they are currently constituted, the

Commission returned to the issues of under-representation and over-representation in various

regions of the province. After reviewing the available data, the Commission concluded that

Cape Breton Island was over-represented by one seat.

5. The Commission recommends that the number of seats on Cape Breton Island be

reduced from ten full-seats to nine full-seats.

The Commission's next task was to examine where a constituency on Cape Breton Island

might be eliminated. A number of possibilities were reviewed. Because it was centrally-located

and because its elimination would be the least disruptive on the current pattern of constituencies,

the Commission concluded it would recommend the elimination of the Cape Breton The Lakes

constituency.

6. The Commission recommends the elimination of the Cape Breton The Lakes

constituency and its reallocation among its neighbouring constituencies. (In its Interim

Report, the Commission made a similar recommendation regarding the Cape Breton The Lakes

constituency.)

The decision to recommend the loss of one riding on Cape Breton Island necessitated a

review of all of the other ridings on Cape Breton Island.

As previously noted in its second recommendation, the Commission has already

recommended that the Richmond constituency be included under the "extraordinary

41

circumstances clause." (The Interim Report had not included Richmond in this category and had

recommended that the Town of Port Hawkesbury be added to the Richmond constituency.)

7. The Commission recommends that the Town of Port Hawkesbury be part of the

Inverness constituency:

With the return of the Town of Port Hawkesbury to the Inverness constituency, the

Commission then considered whether or not all of Inverness County might be included in one

constituency.. The current constituency of Inverness does not include the top portion of

Inverness County from the Cape Breton Highlands National Park north, which is in the current

constituency ofVictoria.

8. The Commission recommends that the top portion of Inverness County from the

Cape Breton Highlands National Park north be returned to the Inverness constituency.

(The Commission's Interim Report also made this recommendation.)

The Commission's recommendations (numbers seven and eight) reunite Inverness

County as one constituency. However, a result of recommendation eight is to reduce the current

constituency of Victoria in terms of both its population/electors and geography. In 1992 the

previous Commission had made Victoria a "protected constituency," based on geography.

Because of the instructions given to the Commission for its use of the "extraordinary

circumstances clause," Victoria cannot be assessed in a similar manner in this redistribution.

Victoria County has a seat entitlement based on electors (Table Three) of 0.46 -less than

half of a seat entitlement. In order to expand the electoral base of a Victoria-based constituency

42

the CommissIon recommends that the Victoria constituency be expanded to include some of the

rural areas of the fonner constituency of Cape Breton The Lakes and that the new constituency

be called Victoria - The Lakes. This proposed change maintains the primarily rural nature of the

current Victoria constituency.

9. The Commission recommends that the Victoria constituency lose the area in

Inverness County of Cape Breton Highlands National Park and north to Meat Cove to the

Inverness constituency and gain some of the rural area of the former constituency of Cape

Breton The Lakes, with the name of the revised constituency to be Victoria - The Lakes.

The County of Victoria has a current seat entitlement of 0.46, well below the

Commission's ± factor of 25 percent. The revised constituency of Victoria - The Lakes has an

estimated seat entitlement based on electors in Table Four of .78, just over the minus variance

allowed of 25 percent.

(In the Commission's Interim Report, the recommended constituency of Victoria - The

Lakes was larger both geographically and in tenns of electors. In response to the public's

concerns, the geographical size of the proposed constituency has been reduced and the electoral

size has been reduced as well, from a seat entitlement of 0.99 in the Interim Report to one of 0.78

in the Final Report.)

Those parts of the Cape Breton The Lakes constituency not allocated to the

recommended riding of Victoria - The Lakes were reallocated to the ridings of Cape Breton

North, Cape Breton South, and Cape Breton West. The major change to Cape Breton West

43

concerns the placement of the Eskasoni Reserve. (In its Interim Report, the Commission had

recommended all of the land on the peninsula north of East Bay be included in the Victoria­

The Lakes constituency, including the Eskasoni Reserve.)

10. The Commission recommends that the Cape Breton West constituency gain the area

on the north side of East Bay along highway 216 to and including the Eskasoni Reserve.

The remaining areas in Cape Breton County have had some changes recommended to

their boundaries, outlined in the following sections of this Report, but the current constituencies

of Cape Breton North, Cape Breton South, Cape Breton Nova, Cape Breton Centre, and Glace

Bay remain in place, even though the Commission has recommended some alterations of

constituency boundaries.

Having dealt with the various constituencies on Cape Breton Island, the Commission

turned its attention to mainland Nova Scotia. As noted in its second recommendation, no

changes are recommended in the constituencies from Shelburne, through Yarmouth to

Annapolis, Kings, and Colchester Counties, and Pictou, Hants, Antigonish and Cumberland

Counties. In its Interim Report, the Commission had recommended a revision in the boundary

line between Cumberland North and Cumberland South. In its Final Report the Commission is

recommending no change in this area.

11. The Commission recommends no change in the boundary line between Cumberland

North and Cumberland South.

44

In its Interim Report, the Commission recommended a major restructuring of

constituency boundaries along the South Shore of Nova Scotia, including the elimination of the

Lunenburg West constituency. In its Final Report, the Commission is recommending that the

existing constituencies along the South Shore be maintained, but with some changes in their

current electoral boundaries.

With respect to the Queens constituency, which is below the ± factor of 25 percent, with

a current seat entitlement based on electors of .70 (Table Three), the Commission recommends

an expansion into Lunenburg County.

12. The Commission recommends that the current constituency of Queens be expanded

to include the southwest corner of the current constituency of Lunenburg West.

This expansion of Queens increases its seat entitlement from .70 to an estimated .79

(Table Four), so that it falls within the Commission's ± factor of 25 percent. (The area included

in the Queens constituency from Lunenburg County in the Commission's Final Report is smaller

than the area recommended in its Interim Report).

For Lunenburg County, the Commission recommends the following boundaries.

13. As previously noted in its fourth recommendation, the Commission is

recommending no change in the boundaries of the Lunenburg constituency.

45

14. The Commission recommends the retention of the present Lunenburg West

constituency, but with the southwest corner of that constituency being added to Queens.

15. The Commission recommends the retention of the current constituency of Chester-

S1. Margaret's, but with an expansion of its eastern boundary further into Halifax County.

The current constituency of Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury has been altered, by

recommending the addition of the town of Port Hawkesbury to Inverness (recommendation

seven). This change would leave Guysborough County as a seat, with an entitlement well-below

the ± factor of 25 percent. In its Interim Report, the Commission recommended extending the

Guysborough constituency along the Eastern Shore of Halifax County, creating a new

constituency called Guysborough - Eastern Shore. In this Final Report, the Commission is

recommending a constituency that is smaller than the one recommended in its Interim Report in

terms ofboth the number of electors and the geographic base of the constituency.

16. The Commission recommends that a seat based on Guysborough County be

extended westward into Halifax County to include the Sheet Harbour area. The

Commission recommends that the new constituency be called Guysborough - Sheet

Harbour.

The new proposed constituency of Guysborough - Sheet Harbour would have an

estimated seat entitlement based on electors of .78 (Table Four), which is within the

Commission's ± factor of 25 percent. (The Interim Report's constituency of Guysborough ­

Eastern Shore had an estimated seat entitlement of .95). Thus, the proposed constituency of

Guysborough - Sheet Harbour is smaller in terms of both geography and electors compared to

46

the Commission's Interim Report recommendation for a Guysborough - Eastern Shore

constituency. Thus, Guysborough County, rather than possibly being divided between several

constituencies, serves as the basis of a revised constituency.

In its Interim Report the Eastern Shore constituency had been reallocated to neighbouring

constituencies. In this Final Report, the Commission is recommending a revised Eastern Shore

constituency.

17. The Commission recommends that the current Eastern Shore constituency be

maintained, but reduced in its geographic base with the recommended loss of the Sheet

Harbour area to the Guysborough-based constituency.

The new constituency of Eastern Shore is smaller both in terms of its geographic base

and electors than the present constituency of Eastern Shore. The current constituency of Eastern

Shore has a seat entitlement based on electors of 0.96 (Interim Report, Table Three, p. 15),

while the proposed constituency of Eastern Shore in the Commission's Final Report has a seat

entitlement based on electors of 0.79.

The final set of recommendations for possible boundary revisions concern the remaining

areas inside Halifax County. As much as was possible, the Commission wanted the communities

of Bedford, Sackville, and Cole Harbour to serve as the core for individual constituencies inside

Halifax County. The Commission also sought to increase the representation for Halifax

Regional Municipality (HRM), given the County's expanding population and electoral base.

47

18. The Commission recommends one additional fuH-seatbe added to Halifax County,

with that seat being created in the Fall River area. The Commission recommends that the

name of this new seat be Waverley - Fall River.

The recommended addition of a new seat in the Waverley - Fall River area necessitated a

major redrawing of electoral boundaries in Halifax County. As a general rule, the Commission

recommended constituencies in the downtown cores of HRM that would be on the high-end of'

the ± factor of 25 percent.

As previously noted in its fourth recommendation, no change is recommended in the

constituencies of Halifax Atlantic, Halifax Fairview, and Preston. Existing constituencies are

recommended to be maintained in the Dartmouth and Cole Harbour areas, while significant

changes are recommended in the Bedford and Hammonds Plains areas of Halifax County. Minor

readjustments of boundaries are recommended in the following constituencies: Halifax Citadel,

Halifax Needham, Halifax Chebucto, Sackville - Cobequid, Dartmouth North, Dartmouth South,

Dartmouth East, Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage, Timberlea - Prospect. More significant

changes are recommended to Dartmouth - Cole Harbour, Halifax Bedford Basin, Sackville ­

Beaverbank, and Bedford - Fall River.

In Dartmouth, the current constituency of Dartmouth - Cole Harbour loses an area in

Woodlawn to Dartmouth East and expands south into Colby Village. The new constituency of

Waverley - Fall River gains the Beaver Bank area from the current Sackville - Beaver Bank

constituency and the Waverley - Fall River area from the current constituency of Bedford - Fall

River. Sackville - Beaver Bank loses Beaver Bank to Waverley - Fall River and becomes the

48

Hammonds Plains - Upper Sackville constituency. Bedford - Fall River loses the Fall River area

to the new constituency of Waverley - Fall River and gains on its western and southern

boundaries. Halifax Bedford Basin loses its northern area to the new constituency of Bedford and

is renamed Halifax Clayton Park.

19. The Commission recommends a series of significant boundary changes in the

western portion of Halifax County.

If the Nova Scotia House of Assembly accepts the above recommendations, the

Commission is of the opinion that a pattern of effective representation for the people of Nova

Scotia would be provided. As Table Four illustrates, considerable variation is recommended

among the 52 proposed electoral districts. Four constituencies (Argyle, Preston, Clare, and

Richmond) have a ± factor of less than 25 percent and all four fall under the Commission's

"extraordinary circumstances clause" for minority representation.

constituencies are within the stipulated ± factor of 25 percent.

The remaining 48

During its Public Consultation Process, the Commission received numerous comments

about the perceived differences in the roles of rural versus urban MLAs. Part of those

differences concerned the large geographical size of rural constituencies. In recognizing such

concerns, the Commission has generally sought to have rural constituencies fall near the minus

factor of25 percent and the urban constituencies near the plus factor of25 percept. For example,

based on electors, twelve of the thirteen largest constituencies are in Halifax County, while

geographically-large rural constituencies, such as Victoria - The Lakes and Guysborough ­

Sheet Harbour, are twenty-two percent below the electoral average.

49

The pattern of proposed electoral districts can also be viewed on a regional basis, as

previously presented in Table Five. For many reporting purposes, the 18 counties of Nova

Scotia are divided into five regions: Cape Breton, Northeastern, Annapolis Valley, Southwestern

and Halifax. Table Five presents current seat entitlements, the proposed number of seats, and the

current number of seats for each of these five regions.

Table Five reveals that, if the Commission's recommendations are accepted, the Cape

Breton region would still have slightly more 'seats', based on electors than it is entitled to.

Alternatively, the Halifax region (Halifax County) would continue to have slightly fewer 'seats'

that it is entitled to. The other three regions would see only modest changes.

Given the data presented in Table Five, the Commission feels that a pattern of effective

representation is being recommended for the people ofNova Scotia.

The following pages provide more detail on the Commission's proposed changes: a list of

proposed electoral district names, as well as nine maps are included. These maps provide detail

for the proposed boundary changes in the following areas: Industrial Cape Breton, the South

Shore area, the Guysborough Eastern Shore area, a Metro Area insert, the Cole Harbour area,

Dartmouth, Bedford, the Halifax Peninsula, and the Clayton Park and Fairview areas.

Having outlined the broad changes of the Commission's proposed ~lterations in the

provinces electoral boundaries, Section Nine indicates, on a constituency-by-constituency basis,

how current electoral boundaries will be affected if the Commission's recommendations are

50

implemented. Section Ten describes in detail the proposed boundaries for the recommended

electoral districts.

Electoral Districts

51

Number Name Number Name

1 Annapolis 27 Halifax Clayton Park

2 Antigonish 28 Halifax Chebucto

3 Argyle 29 Halifax Citadel

4 Waverley - Fall River 30 Halifax Fairview

5 Cape Breton Centre 31 Halifax Needham

6 Glace Bay 32 Hants East

7 Cape Breton North 33 Hants West

8 Cape Breton Nova 34 Inverness

9 Cape Breton South 35 Kings North

10 Bedford 36 Kings South

11 Cape Breton West 37 Kings West

12 Lunenburg 38 Lunenburg West

13 Clare 39 Timberlea - Prospect

14 Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley 40 Pictou Centre

15 Colchester North 41 Pictou East

16 Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage 42 Pictou West

17 Cumberland North 43 Preston

18 Cumberland South 44 Queens

19 Cole Harbour 45 Richmond

20 Dartmouth East 46 Hammonds Plains - Upper Sackville

21 Dartmouth North 47 Sackville - Cobequid

22 Dartmouth South - Portland Valley 48 Shelburne

23 Digby - Annapolis 49 Chester - S1. Margaret's

24 Eastern Shore 50 Truro ~ Bible Hill

25 Guysborough - Sheet Harbour 51 Victoria - The Lakes

26 Halifax Atlantic 52 Yarmouth

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BEDFORD BASIN

60

Clayton Park and Fairview Areas Inset

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9: OVERVIEW OF PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CURRENTELECTORAL DISTRICTS

The following list of constituencies uses current constituency numbers and namesas adopted in 1992 and as outlined in the current House of Assembly Act. Thedetailed boundary descriptions of current constituencies can be located at http://www.gov.ns.cal1egislature/legalstatues/housassm.htm.

This overview outlines the broad changes being proposed to current provincial electoralboundaries - these do not provide legal descriptions of the new constituencies. A more detailedoutline of each new or altered constituency is provided in Section Ten.

If no change to an existing constituency is recommended, its current legal description canbe found in the House of Assembly Act. Maps for existing electoral districts can be found underthe "Site Map" for the Government of Nova Scotia's web site athttp://www.gov.ns.callegislature/site map.html. Under House of Assembly, go to "NS ElectionsOffice" and click on Electoral Districts.

(1) Annapolis: No Change

(2) Antigonish: No Change

(3) Argyle: No Change

(4) Bedford - Fall River: Loses the Fall River and Waverley areas and gains part of BedfordBasin, as well as an area along the Hammonds Plains Road (including Giles Avenue andthe Peerless subdivision). It becomes the new constituency of Bedford and becomesconstituency number 10.

(5) Cape Breton Centre: Expands west to include New Victoria.

(6) Glace Bay: Loses a small area at its southern tip to Cape Breton West.

(7) Cape Breton North: Expands southward toward Sydney to include upper North Sydneyas far as Balls Creek and expands westward to include Point Aconi.

(8) Cape Breton Nova: Loses New Victoria and expands southward into Sydney.

(9) Cape Breton South: In the north, loses part of the Ashby area to Cape Breton Nova andexpands south around the harbour to Balls Creek, including the Coxheath area.

(10) Cape Breton The Lakes: This constituency has been reallocated to Victoria, Cape BretonSouth, Cape Breton North, and Cape Breton West.

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(11) Cape Breton West: Remains substantially the same, with minor adjustments to itsboundaries with Cape Breton South, Cape Breton Centre, and Glace Bay. Gains the areaon the north side of East Bay along highway 216 to include the Eskasoni Reserve.

(12) Chester - St. Margaret's: Expands eastward along Highway 333 to include West Doverand Bayside. The constituency number changes from 12 to 49.

(13) Clare: No Change

(14) Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley: No Change

(15) Colchester North: No Change

(16) Cole Harbour -Eastern Passage: Loses an area south of the Circumferential Highwayto Dartmouth South, loses an area of Morris Lake and the eastern side of Morris Lake toDartmouth South, and loses an area south of Portland Street in Cole Harbour to ColeHarbour.

(17) Cumberland North: No Change

(18) Cumberland South: No Change

(19) Dartmouth - Cole Harbour: Loses an area in Woodlawn to Dartmouth East and an areaon its eastern boundary to Eastern Shore; it expands south into Colby Village. Theconstituency name is changed to Cole Harbour.

(20) Dartmouth East: Loses a northern area to Waverley - Fall River and gains an area inWoodlawn.

(21) Dartmouth North: Minor change to its northern boundary and gains an area on itssouthern boundary along Lake Banook from Dartmouth South.

(22) Dartmouth South: Loses the area north of Lake Banook as far as Hawthorne Street toDartmouth North. Gains an area south of the Circumferential Highway from ColeHarbour - Eastern Passage and gains an area of Morris Lake as well as the Portland Hillssubdivision. Constituency is renamed Dartmouth South-Portland Valley.

(23) Digby - Annapolis: No Change

(24) Eastern Shore: Gains an area on its western boundary from Dartmouth - Cole Harbourand loses an area on its eastern boundary to Guysborough - Sheet Harbour.

(25) Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury: Loses Port Hawkesbury to Inverness and gains theSheet Harbour area on its western boundary from the Eastern 'Shore. Constituency isrenamed Guysborough - Sheet Harbour.

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(26) Halifax Atlantic: No Change

(27) Halifax Bedford Basin: Loses a northern area to Bedford. The remaining area becomesHalifax Clayton Park.

(28) Halifax Chebucto: Gains an area at its southern boundary between Quinpool Road andJubilee Road from Halifax Citadel.

(29) Halifax Citadel: Loses a small area east of Citadel Hill to Halifax Needham and loses anarea at its northwestern boundary to Halifax Chebucto.

(30) Halifax Fairview: No Change

(31) Halifax Needham: Gains an area east of Citadel Hill from Halifax Citadel.

(32) Hants East: No Change

(33) Hants West: No Change

(34) Inverness: Gains the northern area of Inverness County form Victoria and gains PortHawkesbury from Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury.

(35) Kings North: No Change

(36) Kings South: No Change

(37) Kings West: No Change

(38) Lunenburg: No change in boundaries, but the constituency number is changed from 38to 12.

(39) Lunenburg West: Loses an area south of the 103 from Risser's Beach Provincial Park tothe Queens County line, including Italy Cross. The constituency number changes from 39to 38.

(40) Pictou Centre: No Change

(41) Pictou East: No Change

(42) Pictou West: No Change

(43) Preston: No Change

(44) Queens: Gains an area on its eastern boundary from Lunenburg West south of Highway103, through Italy Cross, and to Risser's Beach Provincial Park.

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(45) Richmond: No Change

(46) Sackville - Beaver Bank: Loses Beaver Bank to Waverley - Fall River, retainsHammonds Plains and Upper Sackville; becomes the constituency of Hammonds Plains ­Upper Sackville.

(47) Sackville - Cobequid: Minor changes to its northern boundary along Second Lake.

(48) Shelburne: No Change

(49) Timberlea - Prospect: Loses the Bayside and West Dover areas to Chester - St.Margaret's. Constituency number changes from 49 to 39.

(50) Truro - Bible Hill: No Change

(51) Victoria: Loses the top of Inverness County to Inverness and gains some of the ruralareas of the former Cape Breton The Lakes constituency.

(52) Yarmouth: No Change

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10: DESCRIPTIONS FOR PROPOSED BOUNDARIES

Please note: The following boundary descriptions are not designed to be official legaldescriptions for the revised electoral boundaries. The official legal boundary descriptions will beprepared by the Nova Scotia Electoral Office once the House of Assembly has approved allconstituency boundaries and names.

1. Annapolis: No Change

2. Antigonish: No Change

3. Argyle: No Change

4. Waverley - Fall River: On the west it is bounded from the point where the Rail Lineintersects with the Hants County line, then along the Rail Line south to the point where itintersects with the Beaver Bank Road. Then it goes along the Beaverbank - WindsorJunction Road to a point south of Ashlea Drive. At that point it proceeds south to SecondLake and then east through Second Lake to where it meets the Rail Line just south ofCottage Lane. From that point it follows the Rail Line to where it intersects withHighway 102. Then it goes south along Highway 102 to Rocky Lake to where it followsthe south shore of Rocky Lake to a point on Route 2 just north of the Bedford IndustrialPark. Then south along Route 2 to the Bedford Bypass (Highway 101) and then southalong Highway 101 to Windmill Road, and along Windmill Road to where it intersectsWright Brook. Then it follows Wright Brook north to the CN Rail Line and east alongthe CN Rail Line to a point east of Anderson Lake. From that point the boundary linegoes east to the north tip of Lake Charles. From there it proceeds to the east, just south ofMeadow Walk to the Preston boundary line. On the east it is bounded by the Preston andColchester - Musquodoboit Valley constituencies. It is bounded on the north by theHants County boundary line.

5. Cape Breton Centre: It is bounded on the north by the Atlantic Ocean and on the westby Sydney Harbour. The south boundary runs from Sydney Harbour north of South Bar,through Kilkenny Lake to the Devco Rail Line (New Waterford Branch). It then followsNorthwest Brook to the Devco Rail Line (Glace Bay Branch), where it follows the RailLine east to Gardiner Road. It follows Gardiner Road to Highway 4 and along Highway4 to a point just west of the Sydney Airport. From there it goes south to Renwick Brookand then follows Renwick Brook to the Glace Bay boundary. The east boundaryproceeds from the Atlantic Ocean west of Row Street, south to the intersection of PhalenRoad and Reserve Street, and then south east to Renwick Brook.

6. Glace Bay: It is bounded on the north and east by the Atlantic Ocean. The westboundary runs from the Atlantic Ocean west of Row Street, south to the intersection ofPhalen Road and Reserve Street, and then southeast to Renwick Brook. The south

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boundary follows Renwick Brook east to Highway 255 and along Highway 255 to whereit intersects with Big Glace Bay Lake.

7. Cape Breton North: It is bounded on the east by Sydney Harbour and the NorthwestAnn to Balls Creek, and on the north by the Atlantic Ocean. The remaining boundaryruns from Balls Creek along Highway 125 north to Highway 105. Then west alongHighway 105 to Highway .162 (Prince Mine Road) and along Highway 162 north to theAtlantic Ocean.

8. Cape Breton Nova: It is bounded on the west by Sydney Harbour and the southwestarm to Muggah Creek, and then it follows Muggah Creek to Ferry Street. It runs alongFerry Street to Inglis Street and along Inglis Street to Prince Street, then east on PrinceStreet to Townsend Street and along Townsend Street to High Street. Then along HighStreet to Whitney Avenue and along Whitney Avenue to Hospital Street, then alongHospital Street to a point just east of Cabot Street. From that point the boundary runssouth along the east side of Cabot Street to Cottage Road. It then runs along CottageStreet to the point where Cottage Road intersects with Cottage Crescent. From that pointit goes east to Highway 125. Its east boundary proceeds along Highway 125 North to apoint on Highway 125 east of Cossitt Lake, where it proceeds south of Grand Lake Road(Highway 4) to a point south of Gardiner Road, and then north to Gardiner Road andalong Gardiner Road to the Devco Rail Line (Glace Bay Branch). It follows the DevcoRail Line west to Northwest Brook to the Devco Rail Line (New Waterford Branch). It isthen bounded on the north from the Devco Rail Line, west through Kilkenny Lake, andthen north of South Bar to Sydney Harbour. It includes the Sydney Reserve.

9. Cape Breton South: It is bounded on the west by the Northwest Arm to a point onHighway 125 just south of Balls Creek. From that point it proceeds to a point just westof Blackett's Lake. From that .point it follows the Sydney River to where the SydneyRiver intersects with Highway 125. From that point it follows Highway 125 to a pointeast of the intersection of Cottage Road and Cottage Crescent. From that point it goes tothe point where Cottage Road and Cottage Crescent intersect. From that point it followsCottage Road west to a point just east of Cabot Street. Then it goes north along the eastside of Cabot Street to Hospital Street. Then it goes along Hospital Street to WhitneyAvenue, Whitney Avenue to High Street, High Street to Townsend Street, TownsendStreet to Prince Street, Prince Street to Inglis Street, Inglis Street to Ferry Street. Then itproceeds along Ferry Street to Muggah Creek and follows Muggah Creek to the SouthWest Ann of Sydney Harbour. It includes the Membertou Reserve.

10. Bedford: On the west it is bounded from a point on the Sackville River south ofParklane Drive to a point on the Hammonds Plains Road just east of the intersection ofHammonds Plains Road and the Kearney Lake Road. .The boundary then proceeds fromthat point east through Bluewater Road to a point on Highway 102 east of Paper MillLake. It then proceeds south along Highway 102 to a point on Highway 102 just east ofEdward Laurie Drive. From that point it proceeds south just east of Heathside Crescentto a point just north of Farnham Gate Road. It then goes east just north of Farnham GateRoad to Dunbrack Street. From that point it goes east through Sherwood Park and then

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north of Tremont Drive to the Bedford Basin. It is bounded on the north from a point onthe Sackville River just south of Parklane Drive east along the Sackville River to a pointjust south of Memory Lane. From that point it proceeds along Highway 101 to where itintersects with Highway 102. It then proceeds north along Highway 102 to a point justwest of Rocky Lake and from that point it follows the South Shore of Rocky Lake to apoint on Route 2 just north of the Bedford Industrial Park. From that point it goes southalong Route 2 to the Bedford Bypass (Highway 101) and then along the Bedford Bypassto Windmill Road. Then south along Windmill Road to Wright Brook. Then it followsWright Brook to the Bedford Basin. It is bounded on the east by the Bedford Basin.

11. Cape Breton West: It is bounded on the south by Richmond County and the east andnorth by the Atlantic Ocean. On the west the boundary line proceeds from the RichmondCounty line through East Bay to a point south of Castle Bay. From that point it followsthe west and north boundaries of Eskasoni Reserve to the northeast comer of EskasoniReserve. From there it goes to a point just west of Blackett's Lake. From that point itfollows the Sydney River to Highway 125. It then follows Highway 125 to a point eastof Cossitt Lake. From there it proceeds south of Grand Lake Road (Highway 4) to apoint south of Gardiner Road. At that point it goes north to Grand Lake Road and thenfollows Grand Lake Road to the Sydney Airport and then it goes south to RenwickBrook. Then it follows Renwick Brook to Highway 255 and then follows Highway 255to where it intersects with Big Glace Bay Lake. It includes Caribou Marsh Reserve andEskasoni Reserve.

12. Lunenburg: No Change

13. Clare: No Change

14. Colchester - Musguodoboit Valley: No Change

15. Colchester North: No Change

16. Cole Harbour-Eastern Passage: It is bounded as follows: from a point in HalifaxHarbour, east of Eisner Cove, it proceeds through Eisner Cove and along the northboundary of CFB Shearwater to Morris Lake and then through Morris Lake to a point onCaldwell Road where it intersects with Astral Drive. Then it goes north along CaldwellRoad to a point on Caldwell Road just south of Deerbrooke Drive. From there itproceeds south of Deerbrooke Drive to Colby Drive, then east along Colby Drive towhere it intersects with Lakeshire Cresent. From that point it goes east through the northend of Bissett Lake and across Bissett Road to Cole Harbour. It then proceeds souththrough Cole Harbour to the Atlantic Ocean. On the west side it is bounded by HalifaxHarbour and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

17. Cumberland North: No Change

18. Cumberland South: No Change

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19. Cole Harbour: On the north it is bounded by Main Street (Highway 7). On the west theboundary goes south, from a point on Main Street north of Lucien Drive, along the eastside of Lucien Drive and then north of Carlson Crescent to Settle Lake. Then it goessouth through Settle Lake and follows the brook to Cole Harbour Road. It proceeds weston Cole Harbour to a point just west ofDonegal Drive. From that point it goes south justwest of Chaswood Drive to a point west of Astral Drive. .Then it goes east to the pointwhere Caldwell Road intersects with Astral Drive. From that point it goes north alongCaldwell Road to a point just south of Deerbrooke Drive, then south of Deerbrooke Driveto Colby Drive and along Colby Drive to where Colby Drive intersects with LakeshireCrescent. From there the boundary line goes through the north end of Bissett Lake andthen east through Bissett Road to Cole Harbour. Then it goes north in Cole Harbour towhere the brook flows into Cole Harbour, then it follows the brook north to Broom Lakeand from Broom Lake it goes north to Highway 7 (Main Street).

20. Dartmouth East: On the west it is bounded, from a point in Lake Charles just south ofMeadow Walk, by a line that goes south through Lake Charles, through the ShubenacadieCanal and then through Lake MicMac to Highway 111. From there it goes alongHighway 111 to Portland Street and then east along Portland Street to Settle Brook. Itthen follows Settle Brook north to Settle Lake and then it goes north through Settle Lake.From the north shore of Settle Lake it goes west just north of Carlson Crescent to a pointeast of Lucien Drive. From that point it goes north just east of Lucien Drive to MainStreet. It then follows Main Street to a point just west of where it intersects with ForestHills Parkway. From that point it goes north through Loon Lake and continues goingnorth along the east side of Highway 107 to a point east of Barry's Run. From there itgoes west through Barry's Run and then south of Meadow Walk to Lake Charles.

21. Dartmouth North: On the west it is bounded by Bedford Basin and The Narrows. Onthe north from a point in the Bedford Basin it goes to Wright Brook and then followsWright Brook to where it intersects with the Rail Line. It then follows the Rail Line to apoint east of Anderson Lake. From that point it goes east to the north shore of LakeCharles. From there it goes south through Lake Charles, through the Shubenacadie Canaland South through Lake MicMac. It then goes through Lake Banook to HawthorneStreet. Then it proceeds along Hawthorne Street to Crichton Avenue. It then proceedsnorth along Crichton Avenue to where Crichton Avenue intersects with Crichton ParkRoad and then along Crichton Park Road to Thistle Street. It then follows Thistle Streetto Wyse Road, then Wyse Road to Nantucket Avenue. It then goes along NantucketAvenue to Halifax Harbour.

22. Dartmouth South - Portland Valley: From a point in Halifax Harbour the boundaryline goes to Nantucket Avenue, along Nantucket Avenue to Wyse Road, along WyseRoad to Thistle Street and along Thistle Street to where Thistle Street intersects withCrichton Park Road. Then it follows Crichton Park Road to Crichton' Avenue. It thenproceeds along Crichton Avenue to Hawthorne Street and then along Hawthorne Street toa point just north of Sullivan's Pond. It then goes north through Lake Banook to Highway111. It then goes south along Highway 111 to Portland Street, and then east alongPortland Street to a point just west of Donegal Drive. From that point it goes south just

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west of Chaswood Drive to a point west of Astral Drive. From that point it goes westthrough Morris Lake and then follows the north boundary of CFB Shearwater to EisnerCove and then to Halifax Harbour. On the west it is bounded by Halifax Harbour.

23. Digby - Annapolis: No Change

24. Eastern Shore: On the west the boundary runs from a point on Main Street north ofBroom Lake, south through Broom Lake and then follows the brook south to ColeHarbour Road. From there it goes to the Atlantic Ocean through Cole Harbour. On thenorth it is bounded by Preston and Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley constituencies to apoint on the Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley boundary north of Mooseland. From thatpoint it proceeds south to the northest comer of the boundary for Tangier Grand LakeWilderness Area. It follows that boundary south and then west to a point east ofNewcombe Lake. From that point it goes through Newcombe Lake and then throughNewcombe Brooke to Ship Harbour. It then goes south through Ship Harbour to theAtlantic Ocean west of Wolfe's Island. On the south it is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean.

25. Guysborough - Sheet Harbour: On the east it is bounded by the strait of Canso andChedabucto Bay. On the north, beginning at the Strait of Canso it is bounded by theCounty of Antigonish boundary line and then by the county of Pictou boundary line tothe County of Halifax boundary line. From that point it follows the County of Halifaxboundary line south to where it intersects with the south boundary of the Colchester­Musquodoboit Valley riding boundary line. It then follows theColchester-MusquodoboitValley boundary line to a point just west of Mooseland. From that point it goes to thenortheast comer of the boundary for Tangier Grand Lake Wilderness Area. It followsthat boundary south and then west to a point east of Newcombe Lake. From that point itgoes through Newcombe Lake to Newcombe Brook. It then follows Newcombe Brook toShip Harbour and then south through Ship Harbour to the Atlantic Ocean west of Wolfe'sIsland.

26. Halifax Atlantic: No Change

27. Halifax Clayton Park: The north boundary runs from the Bedford Basin to SherwoodPoint and then it goes west between Torrington Drive and Tremont Drive. It continuesthrough Sherwood Park to a point on Dunbrack Street just east of Farnham Gate Road.From there it goes west, just north ofFarnham Gate Road, to a point east of Scotch Road.It then proceeds north through Sherwood Heights to a point north of Heathside Crescent.From there it goes to Highway 102. At that point it proceeds to the south shore of AshLake and then south to Susie's Lake. From the west shore of Susie's Lake it goes southto Black Duck Ponds and follows the east shore ofBlack Duck Ponds. From there it goesto a point on Highway 103 just west of Lakelands Blvd. From that point it goes to a pointjust east of the intersection of Highway 333 and S1. Margaret's Bay Road. At that point itgoes north to the intersection of Highway 103 with the Rail Line and from that point tothe intersection of Highway 102 and Highway 103. From there it follows Highway 102to the Northwest Arm Drive, then along Northwest Arm Drive to a point just south of

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Glenforest Drive. Then it proceeds south of Glenforest Drive and Vimy Drive to a pointin the Bedford Basin. On the east it is bounded by the Bedford Basin.

28. Halifax Chebucto: From the point where Kempt Road intersects the Rail Line theboundary follows the Rail Line to Chebucto Road, then along Chebucto Road to theArmdale Rotary and then into the northwest arm. Then from a point in the northwest armwest of Jubilee Road it follows Jubilee Road to Robie Street, north along Robie Street toWindsor Street and along Windsor Street to Kempt Road. Then it follows Kempt Roadto the point where Kempt Road intersects with the Rail Line.

29. Halifax Citadel: It is bounded on the east, south and west by Halifax Harbour and theNorthwest Ann. On the north it is bounded as follows: from a point in the northwest armalong Jubilee Road to Robie Street, north on Robie Street to Cogswell Street; alongCogswell Street to Rainnie Drive, Rainnie Drive to Duke Street and along Duke Street tothe Halifax Harbour. It also includes Sable Island.

30. Halifax Fairview: No Change

31. Halifax Needham: - It is bounded on the north and east by the Bedford Basin andHalifax Harbour. From the Bedford Basin the boundary goes to a point on Kempt Roadjust east of Vimy Avenue. From that point it goes along Kempt Road to Windsor Street,Windsor Street to Quinpool Road and Quinpool Road to Cogswell Street. On the south itruns along Cogswell Street to Rainnie Drive, Rainnie Drive to Duke Street and alongDuke Street to the Halifax Harbour.

32. Hants East: No Change

33. Hants West: No Change

34. Inverness: The County of Inverness.

35. Kings North: No Change

36. Kings South: No Change

37. Kings West: No Change

38. Lunenburg West: The west boundary is as follows: the west boundary of LunenburgCounty from the Annapolis County line south to Highway 103. Then it follows Highway103 east to a point east of Cranberry Lake. From that point it goes through CranberryLake to its north shore and from there it proceeds to the south shore of Sarty Lake. Itthen' goes across Highway 103 and through Wallace Lake to Oikle Lake and then souththrough Brown Lake to Risser's Beach Provincial Park and into the Atlantic Ocean westof Cape LeHave Island. On the north is bounded by the Annapolis County line, on theeast by the Lunenburg riding line and on the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

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39. Timberlea - Prospect: On the east it follows the west boundary of Halifax Atlantic fromPennant Bay north to Long Lake. From that point it goes west along the South Shore ofLong Lake and then to a point on 81. Margaret's Bay Road just west of Second ChainLake. From that point it proceeds to a point on Highway 103 just west of Lakelands Blvd.From there it goes along the East Shore of Black Duck Ponds and north to Susie's Lake.Then it proceeds north to the South Shore of Ash Lake. From Ash Lake it proceeds westthrough the pond and Maple Lake and then from Maple Lake it proceeds to Cox's Lake.From Cox's Lake it proceeds west to the Hammonds Plains Road south of Yankeetown.From there it proceeds south along the Hammonds Plains Road through Exit 5 to theintersection with Highway 3 just east ofUpper Tantallon and then it goes south, just westof Hubley Lake Road to a point on Nine Mile River just north Highway 333. It thenfollows Nine Mile River south to Shad Bay and then it goes south through Shad Bay tothe Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded on the south by the Atlantic Ocean.

40. Pictou Centre: No Change

41. Pictou East: No Change

42. Pictou West: No Change

43. Preston: No Change

44. Oueens: The County of Queens and a portion of Lunenburg County as follows: from apoint on the western boundary of Lunenburg County where it intersects with Highway103 the boundary follows Highway 103 east to a point east of Cranberry Lake. From thatpoint on Highway 103 the boundary goes through Cranberry Lake to its north shore.From there it proceeds to the south shore of Sarty Lake. From that point it crossesHighway 103 through Wallace Lake to Oikle Lake, then it goes south through BrownLake to Risser's Beach Provincial Park and into the Atlantic Ocean west of Cape LeHaveIsland.

45. Richmond: The County of Richmond.

46. Hammonds Plains - Upper SackvilIe: From a point on the Halifax County Boundaryline just west of Pockwock Lake the boundary line goes south through Stillwater Lake tothe Hammonds Plains Road. It then proceeds north along the Hammonds Plains Road toa point just west of Yankeetown. From that point it proceeds east to Cox's Lake and thenit goes east through Maple Lake and the Pond to the South Shore of Ash Lake. Fromthere it goes east to a point on Highway 102 just east of Beechwood Terrace. It thenproceeds north along Highway 102 to a point just west of Paper Mill Lake and then westthrough Bluewater Road to a point on the Hammonds Plains Road just east of theinter'section of Hammonds Plains Road and Kearney Lake Raod. It then goes north to apoint on the Sackville River just south of Parklane Drive and then west along theSackville River to a point south of the Beaverbank Road. From that point it goes northalong the Beaverbank Road to where it intersects with the Rail Line. It follows the Rail

72

Line north to the Halifax County line. On the north it is bounded by the Halifax Countyline.

47. Sackville - Cobequid: From a point where the Beaverbank Road intersects with theBeaverbank Windsor Junction Road, the west boundary goes south along the BeaverBank Road to a point in the Sackville River south of Park Lane Drive and then followsthe Sackville River to a point south of Memory Lane. From there it follows Highway101 to the intersection with Highway 102. It then follows Highway 102 north to thepoint where it intersects with the eN Rail Line. From that point it follows the CN RailLine to a point south of Cottage Lane, then through Second Lake to a point south ofAshlea Drive. From there is goes to the Beaverbank - Windsor Junction Road andfollows it to where it intersects with the Beaverbank Road.

48. Shelburne: No Change

49. Chester - Sf. Margaret's: On the west it is bounded by the Municipality of the Districtof Chester western boundary line. On the north it is bounded by the Kings County line towhere it intersects with the eastern boundary line of the municipality of the District ofChester to where it intersects with the Halifax County line. It then follows the HalifaxCounty line east to a point just west of Pockwock Lake. It then proceeds south throughStillwater Lake to the Hammonds Plains Road (Highway 213). It then follows Highway213 south to where it intersects with Highway 3, just east ofUpper Tantallon. From thereit goes south, just west of Hubley Lake Road to a point on Nine Mile River just north ofHighway 333. From that point it goes south along Nine Mile River to Shad Bay and thensouth through Shad Bay to the Atlantic Ocean. It is bounded on the south by the AtlanticOcean.

50. Truro - Bible Hill: No Change

51. Victoria - The Lakes: It is bounded on the west by the Inverness County line and on thenorth and east by the Atlantic Ocean. On the south it is bounded as follows: from a pointin the Bras D'Or Lakes through East Bay to a point south of the west boundary ofEskasoni Reserve. From that point it follows the west and east boundaries of EskasoniReserve to the northeast comer of Eskasoni Reserve. From there is goes to a point westof Blackett's Lake on the Cape Breton South boundary line, then to a point on Highway125 south of Balls Creek. It then follows Highway 125 to Highway 105, then west onHighway 105 to Highway 162 and along Highway 162 to its end and the north to theAtlantic Ocean. It includes Wagmatcook Reserve.

52. Yarmouth: No Change

i3

11: IMPLEMENTING THE FINAL REPORT

AND OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS

Given the Commission's Tenus of Reference to establish "new electoral districts in the

Province, and the area, name, representation and implementation of those electoral districts," the

Commission, as a way of concluding its Final Report, wishes to bring the following matters to

the attention of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

In order to allow a smooth transition to new electoral boundaries, the Commission feels

that it is essential that a set-period of time be allowed for the Nova Scotia Electoral Office to

implement new electoral boundaries.

20. The Commission recommends that the proposed new electoral boundaries become

law not later than six months after being adopted by the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

The detailed boundary descriptions provided by the Commission in the previous section

of this Report are not seen by the Commission as legal descriptions. Precise legal boundary

descriptions should be written by the Nova Scotia Electoral Office before the new boundaries are

incorporated into the House of Assembly Act.

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21. The Commission recommends the boundary descriptions provided in its Final

Report be reviewed by the Nova Scotia Electoral Office, with the Nova Scotia Electoral

Office preparing the official legal boundary descriptions.

22. The Commission recommends the Nova Scotia Electoral Office begin revising, on a

without prejudice basis, the provincial electoral boundaries as soon as the Commission's

Final Report is tabled in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly.

In preparing the official legal boundary descriptions, the Nova Scotia Electoral Office

may find minor problems or discrepancies in the recommended boundary descriptions. As well,

once the House of Assembly Act has been revised, other minor boundary issues may arise before

the next redistribution. The Commission feels that the Nova Scotia Electoral Office should be

given the authority to deal with such matters, as long as such revisions do not substantially alter

the recommendations of the Commission. In total, any such minor revisions to handle such

problems as street extensions or subdivision expansions should not change any constituency by

more than 300 people.

23. The Commission recommends that the Nova Scotia Electoral Office be granted the

authority to make minor changes in the province's electoral boundaries, as long as such

changes do not alter the population in any constituency by more than 300 people.

In addition to questions relating to the implementation of its Report, the Commission

feels obligated to comment, as well, on other related matters.

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The Commission notes the 1992 Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission

recommended additional support services for MLAs representing geographically-large rural

constituencies. The Commission feels the pattern of effective representation for the people of

Nova Scotia which has been recommended in this Report could be further enhanced by such

greater constituency support.

24. The Commission recommends additional constituency offices and support staff for

rural MLAs in geographicaliy-Iarge constituencies.

Geographically-large constituencies also increase the difficulty in election administration

for the Nova Scotia Electoral Office; as a consequence, they may need more than one Returning

Officer.

25. The Commission recommends additional Returning Officers be authorized for the

large rural ridings.

One of the problems faced by the current Commission concerned the timing of the release

of the 2001 data by Statistics Canada. The 2001 Census numbers were not released until March

12,2002. Age and gender data were released on July 16, 2002 and, therefore, were not available

for the Commission's use. Immigration data from the 2001 Census will not be released until

January 21, 2003. As a result, both age and immigration data had to be modelled, as described in

Appendix H. The Commission is of the opinion that use of the latest Census data for estimating

the number of electors would be of assistance in the electoral redistribution process.

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26. The Commission recommends the Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission be

appointed six months after the release of the decennial census.

While the Commission tried to work within the Statistics Canada data dissemination area

boundaries, it was not always possible to do so.

27. The Commission recommends that the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency, on behalf of

the Province, work with Statistics Canada so that the data collected in future censuses

conform to existing provincial electoral boundaries.

Appendix A:

Appendix B:

Appendix C:

Appendix D:

Appendix E:

Appendix F:

Appendix G:

Appendix H:

Appendix I:

APPENDICES

Infonnation Package: Questions for Public Comment

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission Public Hearings Schedule(First Round)

Presenters: First Round of Public Hearings

Written Submissions: First Round of Public Hearings

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission Public Hearings Schedule(Second Round)

Presenters: Second Round of Public Hearings

Written Submission: Second Round of Public Hearings

Data Issues and Data Modelling

Queens County Data Revision

77

78

APPENDIX A

INFORMATION PACKAGEQUESTIONS FOR PUBLIC COMMENT

The Commission is pleased to receive public comment on any matter relating to its terms

of reference. In preparing its initial recommendations, the Commission is particularly interested

in hearing the public's views on the following matters.

1. The current number of seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly is 52, plus onepossible seat for the aboriginal community. Should the number of seats in the provinciallegislature remain at its current number; should the number of seats be increased; orshould the number of seats be decreased?

2. If the number of seats in the House of Assembly remains at 52 plus 1 and as HalifaxCounty (Halifax Regional Municipality) may be entitled to additional seats because of itsincreased population, what areas of the province might have their current level ofrepresentation reduced?

3. If Halifax County gained additional seats, where in Halifax County might those seats beadded?

4. Should the present constituencies in Clare, Argyle, and Richmond be retained as theycurrently exist?

50 Should the present constituency of Preston be retained as it currently exists?

6. Should the current constituency ofVictoria be retained as it currently exists?

7. Should the Commission seek to create constituencies that fall close to the minimum andmaximum populations allowed by the ± factor of 25 percent?

8. Should the Commission seek to achieve population equality between constituencies?

9. Should a difference be made in the population size of rural and urban constituencies?

10. If it is not possible to achieve relative parity of voting power between constituenciesusing county boundaries, should the Commission, ifnecessary, cross county boundarylines in recommending revised constituency boundaries?

79APPENDIXB

PROVINCIAL ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES COMMISSIONPUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULE

(First Round)

1. Dartmouth: Friday, February 22, 2002, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: L'ecole du Carrefour - 201 Avenue du Portage

2. Cole Harbour: Saturday, February 23, 2002, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.Location: Forest Hill United Church Hall- 80 Chameau Crescent

3. Preston: Saturday, February 23, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Black Cultural Centre - 1149 Main Street

4. Lunenburg: Friday, March 1,2002,6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Lunenburg Academy - Kaulback Street

5. Timberlea: Saturday, March 2, 2002, 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m.Location: Beechville, Lakeside, Timberlea Elementary School ­22-24 James Street

6. SackviIIe: Saturday, March 2, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Sackville Firehall- 1 Metropolitan Avenue

7. Amherst: Friday, March 8, 2002,6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: WandlYn Inn - 1539 Southampton Road

8. Stellarton: Saturday, March 9, 2002, 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Location: Museum of Industry - 147 North Ford Street

9. Port Hawkesbury: Friday, March 15,2002, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Maritime Inn - 71 7 Reeves Street

10. Sydney: Saturday, March 16,2002,2:00 pm - 5:00 p.m.Location: Delta Sydney - 300 Esplanade

11. Baddeck: Sunday, March 17, 2002, 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.Location: Inverary Inn - Shore Road

12. Church Point: Friday, March 22, 2002, 6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Universite Sainte Anne - 1695 Route 1

13. Wolfville: Saturday, March 23,2002,2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.Location: Old Orchard Inn - 153 Greenwich Road

14. Yarmouth: Friday, AprilS, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Rodd Grand HoteI- 41 7 Main Street

APPENDIXC

PRESENTERS: FIRST ROUND OFPUBLIC HEARINGS

80

February 22, 2002 - Dartmouth March 15, 2002 - Port Hawkesbury

1. Mr. Darcy Truen2. Ms. Tracey Preeper

February 23,2002 - Cole Harbour

3. Mr. Alan Brown4. Mr. James Lynch5. Mr. Darrell Dexter6. Mr. Ron Cooper

February 23, 2002 - Preston

34.35.36.37.38.39.40.41.42.43.44.45.

Mr. Frank SutherlandMs. Anna GuzdziolMr. Billy Joe MacLeanMr. Christopher WestMs. Yvette AucoinMs. Gabriel LeBlancMr. Yvon SamsonMr. Michel SamsonMr. Richard CottonMr. Charles MacDonaldMr. Gerald MacDonaldMr. Paul Desveaux

7. Ms. Yvonne Atwell8. Mr. Ray Curran9. Dr. Rowland C. Marshall10. Mr. Stewart Sparks

March 1, 2002 - Lunenburg

11. Dr. John Leefe12. Mr. Chris MacNeil13. Mr. Paul ProssJ4. Mr. Brian McIntosh

March 2, 2002 - Timberlea

15. Mr. William EstabrooksJ6. Mr. Rollie Thompson17. Ms. Maureen MacDonald18. Ms. Susan Klabunde19. Mr. Howard Epstein20. Dr. Ed Kinley21. Mr. Bruce Holland22. Mr. Robert Burchell23. Mr. Reg Rankin24. Mr. Peter Delefes25. Ms. Jodi Asbel-Clarke

March 2, 2002 - Sackville

March 16, 2002 - Sydney

46. Mr. Gordon Gosse47. Mr. Paul MacEwan48. Mr. Manning MacDonald49. Mr. John Shaw50. Mr. Frank Corbett

March 17, 2002 - Baddeck

51. Ms. Pamela Morrison52. Mr. Bruce Morrison53. Mr. Vincent MacLean54. Mr. Wayne Crawford55. Mr. Richard Collis56. Mr. John Graham MacInnis57. Mr. Steven MacAskill58. Mr. Jim Morrow

March 22, 2002 - Church Point

59. M. Cyrille LeBlanc60. M. Jean Melanson61. Mr. Wayne Gaudet62. Mr. Dan Gaudet

March 23, 2002 - Wolfville26. Mr. Kevin Deveaux27. Mr. Archie Fader28. Mr. Steve Taylor29. Mr. Robert Short30. Mr. G~ry Hines

March 8, 2002 - Amherst

63.64.65.66.67.68.

Mr. Martin BellMr. George HawkinsMr. David HendsbeeMr. John MorrisonMs. Doreen RobertsMs. Clare Jefferson

33. Mr. Ken McKenna

March 9, 2002 - Stellarton

April 5, 2002 - Yarmouth31.32.

Ms. Susan MacDonaldMr. Ralph Wightman

69.70.71.72.

Mr. Peter BoudreauMr. Aldric D'EntremontMs. Bonnie ShandMr. Robert C. Rhodenizer

APPENDIXD

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS: FIRST ROUND OFPUBLIC HEARINGS

I. Armand Goodick, Enfield, Nova Scotia2. Donald M. Julien, Executive Director, The Confederacy of Mainland Mi'kmaq3. B. E. Trask, Chief Administrative Officer, Municipality of the County of Victoria4. Eddie Keeling, Chairperson, Village of Baddeck5. Cecil Clarke, MLA, Cape Breton North6. Chris McNeill, Regional Clerk, Queens7. Donald Armstrong, GPH NDP Constituency Association8. Chris McNeill, Regional Clerk, Queens9. Graham Dulton, Annapolis County10. Fred A. Walsh, BerwickII. A. Barrett Fraser12. Kenneth M. Isles, Mount Uniacke13. Jennifer Smith, Department of Political Science, Dalhousie University14. Robert Isenor, Waverley15. William Thompson, Pictou County16. Eric & Bernice Giles, Bedford17. Edward Giles, Bedford18. Brian Butler, Bedford - Fall River19. George A. N. Mbamalu, Dalhousie University20. S. Charles Facey, QC, Westville21. Michael A. Cox, Musquodoboit Harbour22. Keith R. Evans, Halifax23. Freda Giles, Bedford24. Richard Collis, Victoria County25. David Logie, Kings County26. Darcy Truen & Tracey Preeper, Dartmouth East Liberal Association27. James Lynch, Dartmouth28. Alan Brown, Cole Harbour29. Chris McNeill, Liverpool30. Bill Estabrooks, MLA, Timberlea - Prospect31. Ed Kinley, MD, Halifax32. Kevin Deveaux, MLA, Cole Harbour- Eastern Passage33. Archie Fader, President, Sackville - Cobequid Progressive Conservative Association34. Robert B. Short, Bedford35. Howard Spence, Springhill36. Doug Marshall, President, Cumberland South Progressive Conservative Association37. Ken McKenna, President, Antigonish Liberal Association38. Michel Samson, MLA, Richmond39. Yvon Samson, CSAP (School Board), Richmond40. Lisette Cormier, President, La Societe Saint-Pierre, Cheticamp41, Billy Joe MacLean, Mayor, Port Hawkesbury42. Gabriel LeBlanc, President, Centre La Picasse, Petit de Grat43. Christopher West, President, Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury NDP Association44. Frank Sutherland, Port Hawkesbury45. Anna Guzdziol, Port Hawkesbury46. Gordon Gosse, Cape Breton Nova47. Pamela Morrison, Victoria County Liberal Association48. Bruce'Morrison, Municipality of the County of Victoria49. Cyrille LeBlanc, Wedgeport50. Jean Melanson, Warden, Municipality of the County of Clare51. Cyrille LeBlanc, Wedgeport52. Wayne Gaudet, MLA, Clare53. Daniel Gaudet, La Societe acadienne de Clare54. Martin Bell, Councillor, District of Lunenburg55. David Hendsbee, MLA, Preston

81

56. Mike Henderson, Brookfield57. David Chown, Windsor Junction58. Petition - Residents and electors ofCo1chester Musquodoboit Valley- Government (PC) Caucus Office59. David Carmichael, Halifax Fairview NDP Association60. Kate Beaton, CAO, Municipality of the County ofInverness61. Ian Bailey, Dartmouth62. S. E. Hopper, Dartmouth South Progressive Conservative Association63. Jean Leger, Directeur general- Federationacadienne de la Nouvelle Ecosse64. Susan MacDonald, President, Cumberland North P. C. Association65. Norman Wiechert, Chairperson and Anne Belliveau, Vice Chairperson, Portland Estates Residents' Association66. Nat James, Kentvi11e67. Elizabeth van Helvoort, Bedford68. Rejean Aucoin, Cheticamp69. Kate Beaton, CAO, Municipality of the County of Inverness70. Peter Boudreau, President, Conseil acadien de Par-en-Bas71. Bonnie Shand, President, Shelburne P. C. Association72. Robert C. Rhodenizer, Yarmouth73. Mark Eyking, MP, Sydney- Victoria

82

83

APPENDIXE

PROVINCIAL ELECTORAL BOUNDARIES COMMISSIONPUBLIC HEARINGS SCHEDULE

(Second Round)

1. Liverpool: Saturday, May 25,2002,10:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.Location: Royal Canadian Legion - Legion Street

2. Chester: Saturday, May 25, 2002, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.Location: Chester Area Middle School - 204 Duke Street

3. Sherbrooke: Monday, May 27, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Sherbrooke Village Exhibit Centre, 42 Main Street

4. Dartmouth: Tuesday, May 28, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Portland Estates Elementary School, 45 Portland HillsDrive

5. Preston: Wednesday, May 29, 2002,7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Black Cultural Centre - 1149 Main Street, Dartmouth

6. Halifax: Thursday, May 30, 2002, 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m.Location: Keshan Goodman Library, 330 Lacewood Drive

7. Fall River: Friday, May 31, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Inn on the Lake - 3009 Lake Thomas Drive

8. Baddeck: Saturday, June 1,2002,3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.Location: Inverary Inn - Shore Road

9. Sydney: Sunday, June 2,2002,2:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.Location: Delta Sydney - 300 Esplanade

10. Port Hawkesbury: Monday, June 3, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Maritime Inn, 71 7 Reeves Street

11. Amherst: Wednesday, June 5, 2002, 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.Location: Wandlyn Inn, 1539 Southampton Road

APPENDIXF

PRESENTERS: SECOND ROUND OFPUBLIC HEARINGS

May 25, 2002 - Liverpool

L Mr. Charles Copelin 40. Mr. Darren Brown

2. Mr. Chris McNeill 41. Mr. James Palmer

3. Mr. Gordon Warrington 42. Ms. Margaret Merlin

4. Mr. Bob Stafford 43. Ms. Susan Myers-Levy

5. Mr. David Ferguson 44. Mr. Brad Pellerin

6. Mr. Ken Wilkinson 45. Mr. A. Rennie Beaver

7. Mr. Bill Cox 46. Ms. Norma Richardson

8. Mr. Martin Bell 47. Mr. Ray White

9. Mr. Ron Lane 48. Ms. Gail Martin

10. Ms. Marie Dechman 49. Mr. Merlyn Joudrey

11. Ms. Sharon Ritcey 50. Mr. Sandy Cameron

12. Ms. Beverley Burlock 51. Mr. David Clark

13. Mayor John Leefe14. Mr. David Crooker May 28, 2002 - Dartmouth15. Mr. Win Seaton16. Mr. Owen Hamlin 52. Ms. Carolyn Scott17. Mr. Arnold Meisner 53. Mr. AlfHopkins18. Ms. Karen Dempsey 54. Mr. Tom Harmes19. Ms. Darlene Norman 55. Mr. Bob Horne20. Mr. Angus Fields 56. Mr. Eugene Deveaux

57. Mr. Harry Lownds

May 25, 2002 - Chester 58. Mr. Kevin Deveaux59. Mr. Colin MacEachern

21. Mr. Elmer Garber 60. Ms. Frances Tornscha

22. Mr. Brian McIntosh 61. Ms. Nancy Witherspoon

23. Mr. Jack Wentzell 62. Mr. HermanLong

24. Ms. Lila 0'Connor 63. Mr. John Bonn

25. Mr. Bill Brohm 64. Mr. Neil Bowlby

26. Ms. Gail Smith 65. Mr. Kelly Rambeau

27. Mr. Danny Haughn 66. Mr. Darrell Dexter

28. Mr. John Chataway 67. Mr. David Nantes

29. Ms. Bea Larder 68. Mr. Terry Degen

30. Ms. Wanda Broome31. Ms. Pauline Himmelman May 29,2002 - Preston32. Mr. Bruce Webber33. Mr. Stuart Davidson 69. Mr. David Hensbee34. Ms. Kirkje Johnson 70. Mr. John Meehan35. Mr. Doug Quinn 71. Mr. Jim Britten

72. Ms. Jessie Debaie

May 27, 2002 - Sherbrooke 73. Ms. Kim Thompson74. Mr. Alan Brown

36. Mr. Lloyd Hines 75. Mr. William Dooks

37. Mr. Dan McDougall 76. Ms. Jennifer Waring

38. Mr. Bill Innis 77. Mr. David Hensbee

39. Ms. Dorothy Britten 78. Ms. Judy McBride

84

79. Ms. Patricia Roberts80. Mr. Roscoe Tofflemire81. Ms. Alma Johnston82. Ms. Pauline Northrop83. Mr. Adrien Blanchette84. Mr. Ernest Simmons

May 30, 2002 - Halifax

85. Ms. Debbie Stewart86. Mr. Graham Steele87. Ms. Alma Russell88. Mr. George Dickey89. Mr. Darvill Hamshaw90. Mr. George Parkinson91. Ms. Janet Bolton92. Ms. Gretchen Phinney93. Ms. Anne MacMillan94. Ms. Debbie Hum95. Mr. Gary O'Hara96. Mr. James MacGowan97. Mr. William Estabrooks98. Mr. Alfie MacPherson99. Ms. Mary Ann McGrath100. Mr. Paul Melanson101. Ms. Karen Kelloway102. Mr. Tamil Cochran103. Mr. Tom Willdey104. Mr. Matthew Dubois105. Mr. Stan McPhee106. Mr. Joel Baltzer

May 31, 2002 - Fall River

85

120. Mr. Robert Short121. Mr. David Borden

June 1, 2002 - Baddeck

122. Mr. Bruce Morrison123. Mr. Ed Carey124. Mr. Brian Boudreau125. Ms. Pamela Morrison126. Mr. John MacInnes

June 2, 2002 - Sydney

127. Mr. John Shaw128. Mr. Leland Lewis129. Mr. Brian MacDonald130. Mr. Harold McKinnon131. Mr. Wes Stubbert

June 3, 2002 - Port Hawkesbury

132. Mr. Jean Leger133. Ms. Gail Johnson134. Mr. Gabriel LeBlanc135. Mr. Yvon Samson136. Mr. Andre LeBlanc137. Mr. Jim King138. Mr. Frank Sutherland139. Mr. Alonzo Reddick140. Mr. Bill Hemmings141. Ms. Anna Guzdziol142. Mr. Kilmer Meagher

June 5, 2002 - Amherst107.108.109.110.111.112.113.114.115.116.117.118.119.

Mr. Archie FaderMr. Guy HarringtonMr. Mac BennettMr. Barry MasonMr. Steven TaylorMs. Marion FergusonMr. Paul ReadMr. Alan HaymanMr. Terry DegenMr. Alan SmithMr. Wayne StoboMr. David MerriganMr. Jerry Pye

143.144.145.146.147.148.149.150.151.152.

Ms. Shirley MacTavishMr. Morris HaugglMs. Susan MacDonaldMr. Janice BossMr. Keith HunterMr. Ralph WightmanMs. Kathy LangilleMr. Doug MarshallMs. Lois SmithMr. Doug DobsonMr. Murray Scott

APPENDIXG

WRITTEN SUBMISSIONS: SECOND ROUND OFPUBLIC HEARINGS *

1. Bill Innis2. Colin MacEachern3. David Hensbee, MLA, Preston4. Kevin Estabrooks, Hammonds Plains5. Wayne Kennedy6. Linda Garber7. Michael A. Broomfield, Musquodoboit Harbour8. John Leefe, Mayor, Municipality of Queens9. Debbie Darrow10. Terence M. Ward, Chester Basin11. Mellissa Hopkins12. Daniel Haughn13. Karen Schlick, Eastern Shore14. Aileen Heisler, Chester15. Wally Zinck, Chester16. Alexander Michael Ward17. Janice Munroe, Eastern Shore18. Jim Britten, Head of Jeddore19. James J. Cruddas, Liverpool20. Joyce Lachance, Eastern Shore21. Duncan Kennedy, Pleasant Harbour22. Greg Brown, Dartmouth23. Douglas Foster, Cape Breton Regional Municipality24. Janet Willwerth, Chief Electoral Officer25. Peter Ineson, Halifax26. Graham Gaetz, Canso27. Heather Taylor, Eastern Shore28. Molly Gammon, Mosher River29. Carolyn Thomas, East Preston30. Jim Britten, Head of Jeddore31. Howard Epstein, Halifax32. Allistair K. Scott, Sydney33. Mrs. Walsh, Head of Jeddore34. Edna Baker, Lake Charlotte35. Ruth and Clarence Blakeney36. Michelle Falkenham37. John Wood, Sober Island38. Hume Smith, Chester39. Bobby Harrington40. Martin E. Bell, Lunenburg County41. Davie Crooker, North Queens Board ofTrade42. John G. Leefe, Mayor, Region of Queens Municipality43. Queens County Liberal Association44. Ken Wilkinson, Queens County45. Bob Stafford, Liverpool46. Chris McNeill, Queens P. C. Association47. Harry Freeman, Queens County48. Beverly Day Burlock, Port Mouton49. C. Arnold Meisner, Liverpool

86

50. Bruce M. Webber51. Pauline Hirnrnelman52. Dan Haughn53. Jack Wentzell, Warden, Municipality of the District of Lunenburg54. Elmer Garber, Lunenburg P. C. Association55. Brian McIntosh, Lunenburg County56. Gail Smith57. Wanda J. Broome58. Bea Larder59. Eugene Deveaux, Eastern Passage60. Neil Bowlby, Eastern Passage61. Carolyn Scott, Cole Harbour Eastern Passage Liberal Association62. Alfred Hopkins, Eastern Shore P. C. Association63. Dale Wilson, Eastern Passage64. Colin MacEachern - Frances Tomscha, Dartmouth South Liberal Association65. Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury P. C. Association66. Barry Barnet, MLA, Sackville Beaver Bank67. Lorraine Williamson, Clayton Park68. Eileen Allen, Prince's Lodge69. Maynard and Eileen Boutilier, Mushaboom70. Eldon and Eleanor Rudolph, Musquodoboit Harbour71. Lloyd Hines, Warden, Municipality of the District of Guysborough72. Bill Innis73. Darren C. Brown, West Jeddore74. Margaret Merlin75. Susan Levy, Sheet Harbour and Area Chamber of Commerce76. Brad Pellerin, Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury Liberal Association77. A. Rennie Beaver, Chairman, Guysborough County Regional Development Authority78. Norma Richardson, Mosher River79. Ray White80. Gail Martin, President, The United Board ofTrade, Mosher River81. Guysborough - Port Hawkesbury P. C. Association82. Alan Brown, Cole Harbour83. Bill Estabrooks, MLA, Timberlea - Prospect84. Anne MacMillan, Wedgewood Park85. Alma Russell, Kearney Lake86. Graham Steele, MLA, Halifax Fairview87. Karen Kelloway, Tremont Drive, Halifax88. Petition, Residents, Kearney Lake, Halifax89. Chris Wheeler90. Charles Rutt, President, Eastern Shore Liberal Association91. Gary and Valerie Jakeman, Cow Bay92. Tracy Walker, Cow Bay93. Melanie Hopkins, Blandford94. John and Thelma Clark, Aspotogan95. Richard Meagher96. Violet Sellick and Paul Melanson, Tremont Drive, Halifax97. Greg MacKay, President, Greater Prince's Lodge Residents Association98. Alex Handyside, West Porters Lake99. David O'Neil, Dartmouth100. Bob Stafford, Liverpool101. David Nantes, Dartmouth102. Richard Vine, Dartmouth103. Jim Simon, Lakeview104. Arthur H. Young, Deputy Warden, Municipality of the District ofLunenburg105. Don Downe, MLA, Lunenburg West

87

106. John Shaw, Sydney107. Leland Lewis, Sydney108. James K. Harper, Chairman, Preston Area Board of Trade109. Michael MacDonald, Dartmouth110. Leo Van Dijk, Dartmouth111. Shaunna Scott, Executive Director, Guysborough County112. Chris McLaren, Hubley113. W. H. Mont, Mayor, Springhill114. Lisa Brown, Cow Bay115. Laurette Deveau, Secretary, Strategic Plan Steering Committee, Cheticamp116. Steven D. Colclough117. Stan McPhee118. Leon Robertson, Queens County119. Kim Whitaker, Eastern Shore120. Dan Moscovitch121. Judy Greenwood-Hill, Musquodoboit Harbour122. Gail MacLennan, Eastern Passage123. James Fanning, Head of Jeddore124. Russell Fisher, Springhill125. Neil Wood126. Jean Leger, Directeur General, Federation Acadienne de la Nouvelle-Ecosse, Dartmouth127. Malcolm Bennett, V. P., Sackville Cobequid P. C. Association128. Unknown, Sackville Area129. Jim King, Deputy Mayor, Port Hawkesbury130. Greg Capstick and Terry Degen, Dartmouth East P.C. Association131. Alan G. Hayman, Municipal Enterprises Limited132. Bruce Morrison and John MacKillop, Victoria P. C. Association133. Harold McKinnon, President, Cape Breton the Lakes Liberal Association134. Brian MacDonald, Executive Director, Sydney Downtown Development Association135. John Shaw, Sydney136. Alonzo Reddick, Antigonish - Guysborough Black Development Association137. William Hemmings, Deputy Mayor, Mulgrave138. Gail Johnson, Deputy Warden, Richmond County139. Frank R. Sutherland, Port Hawkesbury140. Shirley MacTavish, Amherst141. Morris Haugg, Cumberland North142. David Dewar, Wallace143. George Latta, Malagash144. Bill Casey, MP, Cumberland Cochester145. Ian Bailey, Dartmouth146. John D. Bonn, Dartmouth147. Joel Baltzer, Halifax Bedford Basin148. Angela Jessop, 19 Tremont Drive, Halifax149. Darlene Guite, Blandford150. Halifax Bedford Basin P. C. Association151. John Chataway, MLA, Chester - St. Margaret's152. Jim Matthews, President, Dartmouth - Cole Harbour NDP Association153. Barry J. Mason, Bedford154. Norma J. Young, Lunenburg County155. Petition, Residents of Eastern Shore156. Pamela Morrison, President, Victoria Liberal Association157. Judy Greenwood-Hill, Ostrea Lake158. Frank Fraser159. Roy T. Pennell, Halifax160. Pat Shaw, Halifax161. Dr. Martin Gillis, Liverpool

88

89

162. Angus J. Fields, Lunenburg NDP Association163. Arthur H. Young, Deputy Warden, Municipality of the District of Lunenburg164. Tim Olive, MLA, Dartmouth South165. Andre Saindon, Musquodoboit Harbour166. Petition re Cow Bay, Residents of Eastern Passage and Cow Bay167. Marion E. Dean, Advocate Harbour168. Victoria P.C. Association169. Roger Middleton, Bedford170. Chris D. Tyler, 16 Tremont Drive, Halifax171. Judy R. Baker, Eastern Shore172. Arthur Mansen, Halifax173. Sharon Ritcey, Pleasantville174. Don Downe, MLA, Lunenburg West, Petition from residents of Lunenburg West175. Frank Fraser, Mayor, Town of Canso176. Gabriel LeBlanc177. James Palmer, Jeddore178. Colin 1. MacDonald, Port Hawkesbury179. Marjorie Irene Dooks, Head of Jeddore

* The deadline for submissions to the Commission was June 15, 2002. Any submissions received after thatdate have been sent to the Speaker's Office for consideration by the Legislature.

90

APPENDIXH

DATA ISSUES AND DATA MODELLING

Census Releases

For the 2001 Census of Population, raw Census numbers, total population and dwellings,

were not released until March 12, 2002, and the required working files were not available until

late March. By this time, the Commission, given its timelines, was well-advanced in its planning

and preliminary analysis. As a result, data based on the 1996 Census and 1999 Taxfiler data were

used in the preliminary work and for the Commission's Information Package and the First Round

of Public Hearings. Age data were released on July 16, 2002 and immigration data will not be

released until January 21, 2003. Both of these releases were too late to be used in the

Commission's work. Immigration data from the 1996 Census and age data from the 1999

Taxfiler information were used to model the number of electors, as explained in the body of the

Report.

Geography

For the 2001 Census of Pqpulation, Statistics Canada introduced the Data Dissemination

Area (DA). The DA is the lowest level of data disaggregation that data, other than total

population and dwellings, are released. Previously data .were collected and released by

Enumeration Area (EA). While the data continue to be collected by EA, they are released by DA

to reduce the amount of data that were suppressed to protect confidentiality. Historically,

provincial electoral boundaries and census boundaries have not coincided. This means that, for

the Commission, 1991 EAs, 1996 EAs and 2001 DAs were apportioned to current and proposed

91

electoral districts. While the majority of the 1397 small dissemination areas fell cleanly within

electoral boundaries, some were apportioned based on approximate share to two or more

districts.

Census Coverage

• 2001 unadjusted census numbers for total population were the only ones available at the time

of the Commission's deliberations. Although subsequent adjustments for under-coverage will

be made at the provincial level in September of 2003, this provincial adjustment will then be

prorated based upon the present distribution of the unadjusted numbers. The unadjusted

Census numbers, therefore, are a reasonable basis for determining shares of population

within the province.

• Statistics Canada counts people at their usual place of residence, which means that -

o People from other provinces are counted in their home province - including students.

o Transients/homeless are counted where they are living, if they are able to be

enumerated.

o People from other countries are counted if they are, or expect to be, resident in

Canada for more than six months.

• Citizenship is determined from the Census long form, which is collected from 20 percent

(one in five) of all persons resident in Canada. These results are used to estimate the full 100

percent citizenship number.

92

Data Modelling

The Statistics Division has used the data sources shown below in modelling information

for use by the Electoral Boundaries Commission, as outlined in the following:

• For comparative purposes, 1991 and 1996 Census of Population data and 1999 Taxfiler data

were used in helping to prepare population estimates, based on the new 2001 Census of

Population, by county and provincial electoral district.

• Data at the enumeration area level for 1991, 1996, and 2001 and postal walk level for 1999

Taxfiler data were allocated to the previous (1991) electoral districts.

• Data from the 2001 Census were allocated for the proposed Electoral Districts. This was an

iterative procedure done in conjunction with Commission staff and several variations were

done to arrive at the proposed boundaries included in the Commission's Report.

• Population estimates were provided by county and electoral district (existing and proposed)

for total population, as well as an estimate for number of electors.

• Number of electors was estimated as follows:

o The percentage of citizens for each of the counties and 1991 electoral boundaries was

calculated from the 1996 Census of Population, because the 2001 citizenship

information will not be released until January 21, 2003.

o This percentage was applied to the 2001 unadjusted population for the counties and

the 1991 electoral boundaries.

o For the proposed boundaries, the percentage of citizens for the 1991 electoral district

most closely representing the proposed district was used. For the new proposed

93

districts, an average of the neighbouring districts most representative of the new

district was used.

• A similar approach for the population 18 and over was used. In this case, 1999

Taxfiler data was used to estimate the population by age for each county and

electoral district, because the 2001 age data was not released until July 16, 2002.

The more recent Taxfiler data was deemed to be more representative of the age

distribution than the 1996 Census figures.

Data Sample

An example of the data given to the Commission by the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency is

presented in Table Six: 2001 Data for Recommended Electoral Districts. Table Six is the set of

numbers received by the Commission on August 1, 2002, which includes all of the final

boundary revisions approved by the Commission at its meeting of July 29-30, 2002. It is the

basis for the data presented in the Commission's Final Report in Tables Four and Five.

Column 1 is the estimated 2001 population for each of the 52 recommended electoral

districts. By dividing a constituencies population by the provincial district average (17,462), the

seat entitlement index for that constituency can be determined. Column 2 is the estimated

percentage of those eighteen and older in each proposed constituency. By multiplying Column 1

by Column 2, the number of people 18 years and over is obtained for each of the 52

constituencies. The last two rows in Table Six (Columns 1 and 3) show the difference between

total population and those eighteen and over: the provincial population total is 908,007, while the

number ofpeople 18 and over is estimated to be 704,345.

94

Column 4 presents the estimated percentage of Canadian citizens for each of the 52

electoral districts. By multiplying Column 3 by Column 4, the number of electors (eligible

voters) is calculated for each recommended electoral districts. Column 5 thus reflects the

Reports definition of electors as those Canadian citizens 18 years and older. Note that the

number of estimated electors is 693,040, with an average constituency size of 13,328, while for

population the figure is 908,007, with an average constituency size of 17,462.

The final column in Table Six presents each constituency's percentage of the electors

average (estimated electors in each constituency divided by the provincial district average of

13,328). Column 6 shows that the proposed redistribution, based on electors, would create

electoral districts from 50.4 percent to 119.9 percent of the provincial average. Column 6 is the

basis for the Commission's seat entitlement index based on electors. For example, Hants East's

percent of provincial average is 119.9, which creates an entitlement index for that constituency

of 1.20.

TABLE SIX

2001 DATA FOR RECOMMENDED ELECTORAL DISTRICTS

95

1 2 3 4 5 6Proposed Constituency Total 2001 0/0 18 18+ 0/0 Citizens Eligible 0/0 of

Population & Over Voters Average3 Argyle 8,688 78.6 6,832 98.3 6,718 50.4

43 Preston 10,249 72.5 7,429 98.7 7,335 55.1

13 Clare 9,067 81.6 7,402 99.1 7,337 55.1

45 Richmond 10,225 79.2 8,102 99.5 8,060 60.5

25 Guysborough - Sheet Harbour 13,286 78.9 10,481 99.1 10,383 77.9

51 Victoria - The Lakes 14,044 75.7 10,631 97.9 10,413 78.144 Queens 13,279 80.5 10,687 98.6 10,534 79.024 Eastern Shore 14,056 75.7 10,644 99.3 10,569 79.323 Digby - Annapolis 13,813 79.4 10,968 99.0 10,860 81.542 Pictou West 14,313 78.2 11,195 99.2 11,107 83.38 Cape Breton Nova 14,512 77.0 11,176 99.4 11,107 83.316 Cole Harbour - Eastern Passage 16,281 71.0 11,586 99.2 11,477 86.1

18 Cumberland South 14,943 78.8 11,780 99.0 11,662 87.541 Pictou East 15,613 77.6 12,124 99.6 12,069 90.65 Cape Breton Centre 15,759 77.4 12,193 99.8 12,168 91.348 Shelburne 16,231 77.0 12,490 99.1 12,371 92.840 Pictou Centre 17,039 78.3 13,347 99.3 13,251 99.415 Colchester North 17,592 76.2 13,406 99.0 13,270 99.6

6 Glace Bay 17,090 78.5 13,422 99.7 13,378 100.44 Waverley - Fall River 18,395 75.0 13,788 97.8 13,490 101.214 Colchester - Musquodoboit Valley 18,304 75.5 13,828 98.7 13,649 102.4

17 Cumberland North 17,662 78.5 13,869 98.8 13,707 102.852 Yarmouth 18,155 77.0 13,975 98.4 13,749 103.212 Lunenburg 17,377 80.6 14,006 98.4 13,782 103.4

38 Lunenburg West 17,623 79.4 13,392 98.5 13,783 103.47 Cape Breton North 17,822 77.8 13,866 99.7 13,782 103.7

1 Annapolis 18,441 78.8 14,533 98.5 14,321 107.546 Hammonds Plains - Upper Sackville 20,124 72.3 14,550 99.0 14,407 108.1

33 Hants West 18,760 77.9 14,607 99.2 14,485 108.7

2 Antigonish 19,578 74.9 14,669 99.0 14,522 109.0

36 Kings South 19,204 77.9 14,963 97.7 14,621 109.735 Kings North 19,498 76.2 14,856 99.2 14,742 110.6

9 Cape Breton South 18,628 79.9 14,876 99.5 14,804 111.1

37 Kings West 20,164 74.5 15,015 99.0 14,870 111.649 Chester - St. Margaret's 18,848 80.3 15,135 98.4 14,892 111.7

50 Truro - Bible Hill 19,258 78.2 15,059 98.9 14,898 111.834 Inverness 19,937 76.5 15,248 98.1 14,961 112.347 SackviIle - Cobequid 20,556 73.3 15,066 99.4 14,980 112.411 Cape Breton West 19,437 77.7 15,112 99.4 15,026 112.739 Timberlea - Prospect 21,015 72.5 15,236 98.8 15,053 112.927 Halifax Clayton Park 19,631 82.3 16,163 93.5 15,115 113.430 Hal ifax Fairview 19,322 80.8 15,620 97.3 15,204 114.120 Dartmouth East 20,362 76.0 15,470 97.3 15,204 114.128 Halifax Chebucto 19,155 82.0 15,699 97.3 15,280 114.719 Cole Harbour 21,122 74.0 15,627 98.3 15,355 115.221 Dartmouth North 20,196 77.8 15,712 98.1 15,421 115.726 Halifax Atlantic 20,688 76.4 15,809 97.7 15,445 115.929 Halifax Citadel 19,639 86.9 17,076 92.3 15,755 118.222 Dartmouth South - Portland Valley 20,184 79.3 16,013 98.5 15,777 118.431 Halifax Needham 19,852 82.7 16,418 96.5 15,847 118.910 Bedford 21,239 77.8 16,527 96.5 15,944 119.632 Hants East 21,753 74.0 16,088 99.3 15,978 119.9

Provincial Total 908,007 77.4 704,345 98.4 693,040District Average 17,462 13,545 13,328

TABLE SIX (continued)

Notes:Percent population 18 & over is based on 1999 Taxfiler data for the 1991 Electoral Districts. The percentage of theclosest representative district is applied to the new district structure.

Percent of Citizens is from the 1996 Census of Population data for the 1991 Electoral Districts. The percentage of theclosest representative district is applied to the new district structure.

Source:Statistics Canada - 2001 Census of Population, unadjustedStatistics Division, Nova Scotia Department of Finance - data modelled to provincial electoral districts.

96

97

APPENDIX I

QUEENS COUNTY DATA REVISION

In its Interim Report (Table Two, p. 14), Queens County and the Queens constituency

was listed as having a 2001 population of 12,486 and a seat ,entitlement of 0.72, while in terms

of electors (Interim Report, Table Three, p. 16) Queens was listed as having 9,905 electors and

a seat entitlement of 0.74. The last number of 0.74, which had been rounded off, was in fact

0.7445. Given how close this seat entitlement was to the -25 percent factor in the

Commission's Terms of Reference, the Commission was asked, during the Second Round of

Public Hearings, to consider adding the Maitland Bridge area of Annapolis County to Queens

in order to reach the -25 percent variance allowed (thus negating the possibility of expanding

the Queens riding into Lunenburg County).

The Commission analyzed this idea and produced the numbers for this possible

scenario, fully expecting that the seat entitlement for Queens, based on electors in 2001, would

be nudged past the -25 percent variance level. Contrary to expectations, the numbers for

Queens actually dropped. The Nova Scotia Statistics Agency was asked to investigate this data

discrepancy and resolve the issue. As a result, the Nova Scotia Statistics Agency informed the

Provincial Electoral Boundaries Commission of an error in the data set provided to the

Commission by the Agency.

Two of the 1397 dissemination areas in the data set had been assigned to the wrong

constituency: one had been assigned to Queens rather than to Lunenburg West and one was

98

assigned to Halifax Needham rather than to Halifax Chebucto. The Halifax Needham and

Halifax Chebucto error had no impact on the Commission's deliberations, because it was

correctly accounted for in subsequent major revisions to boundaries in the Metro area.

Similarly, in responding to the. public consultations, boundary reviews for Queens and

Lunenburg for the Final Report used the corrected allocation. The major problem with the

error was in developing an expectation of maintaining a degree of status quo for Queens. The

population and electors were overestimated in Queens and underestimated in Lunenburg West.

The 2001 population in Queens should have been shown as 11,723 instead of 12,486 and in

Lunenburg West it should have been 19,358 instead of 18,595. While this error did not

materially affect the original recommendations in the Commission's Interim Report, the seat

entitlements for these two constituencies needed to be altered as well, with that for Queen's

decreasing and that for Lunenburg West increasing. The Final Report reflects these

adjustments.