ST. PAUL – The County of St. Paul council has decided to send a representative to speak to the Electoral Boundaries Commission (EBC) to request the County be within a single provincial electoral district.
The EBC is currently conducting public meetings as part of a public engagement process to review provincial constituency boundaries ahead of the next provincial election.
During discussions during the County council meeting on June 10, all councillors agreed it would be more beneficial for the County to be unified within one electoral district. The County is currently divided between the Athabasca-Barrhead-Westlock and the Bonnyville-Cold Lake-St. Paul electoral districts.
"We've been in so many different constituencies since I can remember," said Coun. Darrell Younghans. "Being under one MLA's jurisdiction is critical, I think."
But, there are differences in opinion on what electoral district the County would be best aligned with.
Reeve Glen Ockerman believes the County should be aligned with municipalities having similar interests.
The Bonnyville and Cold Lake regions, for example, have more heavy industries in them, while the St. Paul region has more interest in the agricultural industry. Ockerman believes the County, as a whole, should be placed within an electoral district that has other similar municipalities, like Smoky Lake County.
Coun. Kevin Wirsta agreed with Ockerman. He said being aligned with municipalities having the same interests would be beneficial to take advantage of any economic opportunities.
"I think we need someone to speak more for who we are," Wirsta said.
Coun. Dale Hedrick said it would be nice for the County to be within a single electoral district, but prefers to be within an electoral district that includes closer regions or municipalities, like Cold Lake, due to proximity. "Whereas you get somebody [MLA] from up there in Westlock . . . that's a long ways away."
Council voted that Ockerman present to the EBC at a future public meeting about the council's wish to be represented by a single MLA who understands the interests of the County of St. Paul.
