Independent commissioner denigrated Saskatchewan riding boundary process: Tory

OTTAWA – A Conservative MP says a member of the Saskatchewan electoral boundary commission denigrated the process and should have recused himself.

Maurice Vellacott echoed the views of other MPs from the province who feel the commission’s redrawing of the electoral map was based on a predetermined mindset.

The independent commission has proposed making exclusively urban ridings for Saskatoon and Regina, as opposed to the existing hybrids that include suburban and rural communities.

A Commons committee is hearing from witnesses on the changes, and the Conservatives are firmly against the new map.

Vellacott said commissioner John Courtney, a political science professor, had already made up his mind on the changes before hearing submissions from the public and MPs.

The procedure and house affairs committee will issue recommendations to the commission, which has the final say on the electoral map.