CANADA, February 18 - A bill amending the House of Assembly Act introduced in the legislature today, February 18, will enable the appointment of a special electoral boundaries commission. The commission will make recommendations to the government to ensure effective representation of the Acadian region of Chéticamp and area.

Last fall, the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia granted an application by the Fédération Acadienne de la Nouvelle-Écosse respecting the boundaries in the House of Assembly Act.

The court found the majority of the decision of the majority Electoral Boundaries Commission to not include an exceptional electoral district for Chéticamp infringed Section 3 (voting and candidacy rights) of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

The court determined that the appropriate remedy for the Section 3 Charter infringement was to declare Section 4 of the House of Assembly Act (the composition and boundaries of the House) invalid but to suspend the declaration, allowing time to correct the infringement.

“The Supreme Court has affirmed the right to effective representation for people living in the Acadian region of Chéticamp and area,” said Premier Tim Houston. “Government accepts the court’s decision and appreciates the dedication of the Acadian community to advancing this important issue. That’s why we’re moving quickly to get a commission in place to make recommendations and address the charter infringement.”

The commission will be appointed by a select committee of the House within 30 days of the act coming into effect.

Quick Facts:

• there are currently 55 electoral districts in Nova Scotia, including exceptional electoral districts for Preston, Clare, Argyle and Richmond

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-65-session-1

More information about Nova Scotia’s electoral districts is available at: https://electionsnovascotia.ca/Maps