The federal government is reportedly working on legislation to create as many as 32 new electoral ridings across suburban areas of B.C., Alberta and Ontario.
Democratic Reform Minister Steven Fletcher is spearheading legislation on the proposed changes, according to The Globe and Mail. They could be presented to Parliament as early as this fall or early 2010, and would increase the number of MPs in the House of Commons to 340 from 308.
The rumoured changes are seen partly as a response to the Canada's changing demographic landscape. The country's population has been growing mostly due to immigration, and particularly near the larger cities in Alberta, B.C. and Ontario.
At the same time, Parliament has passed measures to protect smaller provinces and rural ridings from losing their voice on Parliament Hill. That's skewed the country's federal electoral map away from the more populous areas.
As a result, Alberta, B.C. and Ontario would be expected to share the additional ridings.
"What you've got here is the notion of democracy versus the notion of history and how this country started," Tom Clark, host of Power Play, told CTV News Channel on Friday. "It is why Prince Edward Island still has as many seats as it does. Even at four, it is grossly overrepresented in the modern world."
"At the same time, if you went strictly by representation by population, you would be denying the geographical reality of the country. So it's a very tough mix and a tough balance to strike."
The new ridings would in all probability go to suburban areas around the major cities of Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary and Toronto, communities typically with younger and more ethnically diverse residents. If the electoral reforms are eventually passed, they would hand more power to that traditionally underrepresented segment of Canadian society.
Changing the electoral map in such a way may also play in the Conservatives' favour. That's because the party stands a good chance of picking up additional seats in suburban Alberta and B.C., and potentially Ontario as well.
"Some are saying this is the route not only to getting rid of minority governments, but it could be a route to a Tory majority," Clark said. "This might create a new dynasty."
Stephen Harper's Conservative minority government proposed to redistribute the federal elections ridings last year as well. But the bill was never passed into law, partly due to complaints from Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. He felt the province wouldn't receive enough additional parliamentary seats under the proposed changes.
The Bloc Quebecois is expected to oppose redrawing the electoral map. The Bloc has come to hold about two-thirds of Quebec's 75 ridings in recent elections. Since Quebec's population is not growing, however, adding seats elsewhere would erode the Bloc's political clout.
If passed, any reforms could take several more years to come into effect.
