Commission proposals would re-draw Yukon's electoral map

Yukon's Electoral Boundaries Commission is recommending some changes to how the territory's electoral map is drawn, with some communities being shuffled into new districts.

The independent commission's interim proposals weretabled in the Legislative Assembly on Monday and arenow open to public comment.

Yukon currently has 19 electoral districts represented by MLAs. The commission is not proposing to change that number.

Rather, some districts would be re-named and see their boundariesre-drawnto include or exclude some communities. The goal is to have an electoral map that better reflects demographics, cultural connections within districts, and travel patterns.

The existing district of Pelly-Nisutlin which includes the far-flung communities of Teslin, Ross River and Faro would be no more, if the proposals are accepted. Rather, Faro would join a Mayo-Carmacks-Farodistrict, Ross River would be joined to Watson Lake, and Teslinwould be absorbed in a new Carcross-Tagish-Teslin district.

Right now, Carcoss and Tagish are part of the Mount Lorne-SouthernLakes district. It would be re-drawn as Mount Lorne-Marsh Lake to incorporate the Annie Lake, Golden Horn, and RobinsonSubdivision areas, south of Whitehorse.

Another proposed change would see the growing Whitehorse neighbourhoods of Porter Creek and Whistle Bend divided up differently among three districts. Porter Creek Centre would be re-mapped as Whistle Bend, with changes to the existing Porter Creek North and Porter Creek South districts as well.

In all, nine of Yukon'sexisting electoral districts would see changes, if the proposals are accepted.

The commission is accepting comments from the public until Mar.10, with final recommendations being submitted to the Legislative Assembly in April.

Any changes approved by MLAswould be in place for the next two general elections.

• READ the ElectoralBoundaries Commission's interim report