The following is being distributed at the request of the Newfoundland and Labrador Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission:

Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission Presents Report to Government

Retired Court of Appeal Justice John O�Neill, chair of the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission, presented the commission�s final report to the Minister of Justice and Attorney General Tom Marshall today.

The commission is composed of retired Court of Appeal Justice John O�Neill, chair, appointed by the Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador, and commissioners Robert Aylward, vice-chair, Julie Eveleigh, Roger Grimes, and Cle Newhook appointed by the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Harvey Hodder, on March 13, 2006. In accordance with Section 3 of the Electoral Boundaries Act, the commission was appointed to review and determine the province�s electoral boundaries. The commission is charged with the responsibility of preparing a report to the Minister of Justice setting out its recommendations for the division of the province into 48 districts, the description of the boundaries and the name to be given to each district.

Public hearings were held throughout the province and a web site established to assist in the evaluation of proposed provincial electoral boundaries. "I would like to thank everyone who attended the meetings and made presentations, as well as those who made suggestions and brought forth proposals via the web site," said Mr. O�Neill. �I would also like to thank the commissioners for their dedication to the report and for a constructive and collaborative effort; as well as Toby McDonald, counsel to the commission; Diane Blackmore, administrative officer; Alf Power of the Newfoundland and Labrador Statistics Agency; and Jeff Wood of the Department of Environment and Conservation for their invaluable contributions to the Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission.

In the fall sitting of the House in 2005, the Electoral Boundaries Act (�EBA�) was amended to establish an Electoral Districts Boundaries Commission in 2006 and every 10 years following. The commission was required to report by the end of 2006.

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Media contact:
Diane Blackmore
Electoral Boundaries Commission
709-729-7730
dianeblackmore@gov.nl.ca

2006 11 30                             11:25 a.m.