Statement from Ian Hopfe, Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Alberta
On Alberta's Electoral Boundary Review and the Importance of Fair Representation
The Green Party of Alberta is deeply concerned by reports that the Government of Alberta may seek to alter or override recommendations made by the independent Electoral Boundaries Commission.
Regardless of which political party forms government, Albertans deserve confidence that electoral boundaries are drawn through an independent, transparent, and non-partisan process. Democracy functions best when citizens choose their representatives not when governments choose their voters.
The purpose of an Electoral Boundaries Commission is to remove partisan interests from the process and ensure that electoral districts reflect Alberta's changing population while respecting communities of interest, geographic realities, and effective representation. While no electoral map will satisfy everyone, the independence of the process itself is fundamental to public trust.
Alberta has experienced significant population growth, particularly in urban centres such as Calgary and Edmonton. Any review of electoral boundaries must begin with the principle that every Albertan's vote should carry as close to equal weight as possible, while also recognizing the unique challenges faced by rural and remote communities.
The Green Party of Alberta believes that decisions about electoral boundaries should be guided by evidence, public consultation, and democratic principles not by the political interests of the government of the day. If elected representatives can alter electoral maps to benefit themselves, public confidence in our democratic institutions is weakened regardless of which party is in power.
We also recognize that Alberta exists within Treaty territories and on the homeland of the Métis people. Meaningful democratic representation must include consideration of Indigenous communities, Treaty relationships, and the voices of those who have too often been excluded from decision-making processes.
At a time when trust in democratic institutions is under strain across North America, Alberta should be strengthening independent oversight, not weakening it. The Green Party of Alberta calls on the government to respect the work of the Electoral Boundaries Commission and to ensure that any changes to Alberta's electoral map are made openly, transparently, and in the best interests of all Albertans.
Democracy is strongest when every voice matters, every vote counts, and every community is fairly represented.
Ian Hopfe
Deputy Leader
Green Party of Alberta
"A healthy democracy belongs to its citizens, not to the politicians who temporarily govern it.
