HALIFAX— Nova Scotia's attorney general is not accepting an interim report that recommends the preservation of four so-called protected ridings for francophone and black minority groups.
Ross Landry has written a letter to the Electoral Boundaries Commission, asking them to revise their report so that it complies with its terms of reference.
The provincial government has said the commission should have obeyed a term of reference that requires constituencies be within 25 per cent of the average number of electors -- a criteria none of the minority group ridings meet.
"Unfortunately, I am not able to accept the interim report as drafted, as it does not follow the requirements set out in the terms of reference," Landry says in the letter released Thursday.
Landry said he has been advised by the legislature's Chief Legislative Counsel that the terms of reference are legally binding upon the commission, and therefore the interim report is "null and void."
"As such, I would request that the commission prepare a revised interim report that complies with the terms of reference."
The government and the commission have clashed since the release of the interim report two weeks ago. The commission's chairwoman has said its work only needs to be guided by its mandate, according to how they interpret its terms of reference.
Landry said last week he would meet with the commission privately to put forward the government's position, but in his letter he said he no longer sees a need for that.
The final report is due Aug. 31.
The protected ridings in question include Clare and Argyle, communities with large francophone populations on the South Shore, and Richmond, a riding in Cape Breton with a minority Acadian population.
The riding of Preston, which has a large number of black constituents, is located on the eastern outskirts of Halifax.
The commission has also recommended two new seats be added in Halifax and the overall number of seats in the legislature remain at 52.
