N.S. law to improve chances for minorities

The Nova Scotia government has proposed changes to how the province’s voting map is drawn to make it easier for Acadian and black candidates to get elected in certain ridings.

Government house leader Geoff MacLellan introduced amendments to the House of Assembly Act on Tuesday, saying the revised law strikes a balance between voter parity and minority representation.

Under the new rules, the number of voters in each district would have to fall within a certain population range of plus or minus 25 per cent of the average.

However, exceptions would be permitted based on geography as well as historical, cultural or linguistic factors, expected to allow black and Acadian minorities have a bigger say in elections.

The permitted spread in the number of voters in a riding - with greater discrepancies allowed for “exceptional circumstances” - could leave some constituencies with significantly larger or smaller populations.

Dalhousie University political science professor Lori Turnbull said the 25 per cent spread is unusual internationally, but falls in line with other provinces.

“Normally it’s five per cent up or down for other countries. Canada allowing the 25 per cent deviation in either direction creates significant discrepancies between boundaries and constituencies,” she said.

Ontario, Quebec, Alberta, British Columbia, Prince Edward Island, Nunavut and the federal government all use the 25 per cent standard deviation.

Turnbull said it stems from both constitutional obligations and a commitment to represent diverse communities.

“It speaks to that quintessential Canadian compromise between the equality of the vote and the representation of communities,” she said.

The ammendents come after a Nova Scotia Court of Appeal ruling released in January 2017 found a 2012 boundary redrawing that eliminated three Acadian ridings violated the voter rights section of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The advisory opinion sought by the province on constitutional grounds came after the Acadian Federation of Nova Scotia took court action after the 2012 boundary change eliminated the protected districts of Clare, Argyle and Richmond.

MacLellan told reporters that the changes, which would form the terms of reference for setting electoral boundaries, would give independent commissions the “elasticity” to draw the best voting map to represent Nova Scotians.

“It really is for the commission to determine and exercise it’s discretion under the legislation to identify what would be an appropriate electoral district,” he said.