Federal Electoral Boundary redistribution and Official Language Minority representation in Canada

Abstract

This thesis explores the meaning of effective representation for Official Language Minority groups in Canada. After examining different theories of representation and describing the evolution of Canada's system of representation since Confederation, we turn to the federal court case of Raiche v Canada to better uncover the recent discourse around federal representation for groups identified as "communities of interest" or identity." As the first court case in Canadian history to overturn the redistribution proposed by a Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission based on a community's linguistic rights, Raiche v Canada set a precedent for defining communities of interest and identity to include Official Language Minority groups. In this sense, it set the groundwork for asserting more substantial consideration of these communities' rights in the electoral boundary redistribution process and for ensuring more effective representation for national minorities within federal institutions. While Raiche v Canada demonstrates a significant step forward in realizing meaningful representation for communities of interest and identity, this thesis concludes that achieving effective representation for Official Language Minority groups will require the reimagining and redefinition of representation in Canada.