New federal riding causing a stir in Cambridge

A Cambridge city councillor says a new federal riding in Waterloo Region has analienating name and may affect voter turnout.

The new KitchenerSouth-Hespelerriding is one of 30proposednew districts in Canada. The districtswere created by independent electoral boundaries commissions that consult with residents before suggesting changes based onshifts in population. The changesthen haveto be approved by Elections Canada.

BenTucci, Ward 4Cambridge city councillor, said he's not happy with the name.

"If you're going to call it a riding after you've carved out part of my citythen at very least call it Kitchener-South Cambridge-North,"Tuccisaid.

There-distribution won't take effect until the representation order is drafted by the Chief Electoral Officer, which then needs to become official.The new districts would applyforthe next federal election, most likely in 2015.

"We've been attempting now for many years to get over this Hespeler-Preston-Galt mentality."

"Moves like this tend to alienate people and the public and I wouldn't be surprised if that section of our city has a low voter turnout," he said.

The changes to the federal electoral boundaries gives Waterloo Region a fifth riding,and are expected to become official later this fall.