We learn this from the report just published by the Federal Commission for Electoral Boundaries of the Province of Quebec, which proposes to abolish this equestrian center in Bas-Saint-Laurent and create a new one, Les Pays-d’en -Haut, in the Laurentians.

Riding Avignon – La Mitis – Matane – Matapédia has been represented by Bloc Québécois MNA Kristina Michaud since 2019.

The Commission proposes to redistribute the riding area between its neighbors Gaspésie – Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Rimouski – Neigette – Témiscouata – Les Basques. The latter also changed its name to Rimouski – La Matapédia.

For the Bloc Québécois, this proposal is “simply unthinkable” as it would reduce the political clout of eastern Quebec while Ottawa is already struggling to respond to regional realities.”

“The Bloc Québécois intends to fight to the end to prevent the disappearance of the Avignon – La Mitis – Matane – Matapédia horsemen and to save the political weight of Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent,” said leader Yves.-François Blanchet, in a press release. We shall return to the Commission to reiterate our firm opposition to this deletion. It is unacceptable that eastern Quebec should lose an arena when its people and regional development will be the big losers. »

Recall that an initial redistricting proposal was first presented in the summer of 2022 and submitted for public consultation, which spanned 20 sessions between September 6 and October 13. Certain comments made there guided the work of the commission, which made certain adjustments, particularly to the territorial boundaries of several constituencies.

M^Me Michaud also regrets that “despite several briefs and complaints expressed during these public consultations, the Commissioners have not understood how the issues in question are particularly critical and will affect the populations of Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent”.

The redistribution is based on the demographic changes observed in the country and recorded in the censuses. In fact, in the decade between 2011 and 2021, Quebec’s population increased from 7,903,001 residents to 8,501,833 people.

This increase of around 600,000 inhabitants in the province corresponds to an increase of 7.6%, but is not distributed evenly across all regions.

For example, 22 of the 78 federal rides in Quebec recorded a population increase of 10% or more and even reached 30.5% in Ville-Marie – Le Sud-Ouest – Île-des-Sœurs. Six other constituencies saw population declines.

Known for hosting First Nations

A total of 18 equestrian centers will change their names, some to be more representative of the communities currently present.

This applies in particular to Beauport—Côte-de-Beaupré—Île d’Orléans-Charlevoix, which becomes Montmorency—Charlevoix, and Châteauguay—Lacolle, which becomes Châteauguay—Les Jardins-de-Napierville. Dorval – Lachine – LaSalle becomes Dorval – Lachine and Jonquière takes the name Jonquière – Alma. LaSalle – Émard – Verdun is renamed LaSalle – Verdun.

Québec Electoral Division becomes Québec-Centre and Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot becomes Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton. Vaudreuil-Soulanges loses “Soulanges”, which are instead traced back to the riding style of Salaberry-Suroît, thus becoming Beauharnois-Soulanges.

Other electoral divisions will instead undergo a change to better reflect the presence of Indigenous people in Quebec. It was the will of the Commission that “the federal voting map will attest for the first time to the presence of all recognized Indigenous communities in Quebec, namely the 10 First Nations and the Inuit Nation”.

Bécancour – Nicolet – Saurel becomes Bécancour – Saurel – Odanak; Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine includes Listuguj in its appellation. Joliette becomes Joliette – Manawan and La Prairie, La Prairie – Atateken. Louis-Saint-Laurent will be called Louis-Saint-Laurent – ​​Akiawenhrahk.

The Manicouagan cavalry is renamed Côte-Nord – Kawawachikamach – Uapashke and that of Montmagny – L’Islet – Kamouraska – Rivière-du-Loup is renamed Montmagny – Témiscouata – Kataskomiq. Pontiac becomes Pontiac – Kitigan Zibi.

In an earlier version, The Canadian Press wrote that the riding would be renamed Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot to Saint-Hyacinthe-Acton. In fact, it is renamed Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton.