Tories cross line in electoral map talks: Wildrose Alliance

Asubmission to the electoral boundaries commission from Alberta's deputy premier "raises all sorts of undemocratic red flags," and should be withdrawn, says a Wildrose Alliance MLA.

The 207-page submission was given to the commission Monday on behalf of the Progressive Conservative caucus by Deputy Premier Doug Horner and Education Minister Dave Hancock.

"It's one thing to have a constituency association or an individual MLA make a submission," said Rob Anderson, Wildrose MLA for Airdrie-Chestermere, on Tuesday. "But to have the actual government as a government submit exactly what they want the entire electoral map to look like for the final report, I think that crosses the line."

Thecaucus submission "calls into question the integrity of what is supposed to be a fair and non-partisan process," he said.

Three of the five memberson thecommission are appointed by the government and twoby the Opposition.

"Does the government not think it is conceivable that the commission might feel significant pressure to follow the instructions of those who appointed three out of five of them?" said Anderson.

Premier Ed Stelmach saidthere'snothing wrong with two of his cabinet ministers making thepresentation, and advocating on behalf of their constituents. But he said it should have been done differently, without using the government letterhead.

"Could it have been done transmitted differently? Yes. Just said on behalf of Tory MLAs, and just put in," he said.

An interim report from the commission was released in February. It recommended four new ridings for the province, with two in Calgary, one in Edmonton and another in Fort McMurray. It also suggested new boundaries for ridings around the province.

Public hearings on the report were heldMonday in Edmonton and last week in Calgary and Red Deer. On Wednesday, the hearings move to Grande Prairie before returning to southern Alberta next week.

The final decision on electoral boundaries is expected to be announced in July.