Alberta Electoral Boundaries Row: NDP’s Irfan Sabir Accuses UCP of Misuse of Power

A representative of the National Democratic Party for Calgary North East, Irfan Sabir, has emphasized that the UCP government is misusing its authority to shape electoral boundaries in line with its own political interests, a move he says undermines democratic principles as well as the constitutional requirement of equal vote value and effective representation.

Speaking in an exclusive conversation with GBW Times, Irfan Sabir said that in Alberta, electoral boundaries are redrawn after every election through what is presented as an independent commission. However, he argued that the structure of this commission lacks balance, as two members are appointed by the opposition and two by the government, while the chair is also appointed by the government, effectively giving it a dominant position.

He noted that according to a report presented to the Alberta Legislature, the number of seats for the next election was recommended to increase from 87 to 89. The report also suggested that, given higher population growth in urban centres, more seats should be allocated to cities rather than rural areas, and that boundaries should be adjusted accordingly.

Sabir stressed that the core constitutional principle behind redistribution is effective representation, meaning that every resident’s vote must carry equal weight. He said that whether a voter resides in Calgary, Edmonton, Lethbridge, or any rural part of Alberta, the value of their vote should remain the same. He explained that if urban populations reach around three million while rural populations are significantly smaller, it would be unjustifiable to assign equal numbers of seats to both.

He further alleged that the government rejected the recommendations of the independent commission and instead formed a new committee dominated by four UCP MLAs, compared to only two from the NDP. According to him, this committee is now considering increasing the number of seats in rural Alberta, a move he believes is politically motivated due to stronger support for the governing party in those regions.

Sabir added that while the question of increasing or decreasing seats is a separate issue, the real concern lies in the process being followed. He pointed out that the government had already passed legislation setting the number of seats at 89, based on which the commission prepared its report. Now, he said, the introduction of another bill to further increase seats and direct them toward rural areas raises serious questions about fairness.

He described the approach as undemocratic, arguing that politicians should never have the authority to draw or alter electoral boundaries based on their own voter base. He maintained that this responsibility must remain with an independent and impartial body, as is standard practice across jurisdictions in Canada.

Sabir confirmed that NDP members will participate in the committee proceedings, but clarified that their involvement is intended to challenge the process and highlight its flaws rather than endorse it. He said the current approach not only lacks fairness but also contradicts democratic norms.

Concluding his remarks, he said that the party’s nomination process is still underway. While nominations have been completed in Calgary, Edmonton, and some other areas, the process continues in remaining regions. He expressed confidence that all nominations will be finalized soon, enabling the party to move forward with full preparation for the upcoming election.