Wahnapitae First Nation wants to change its provincial riding
Right now, they are located in the riding of Timiskaming - Cochrane, but they want to be in Nickel Belt, since that riding's MPP works much closer to where they live.
Members of the community often go to Nickel Belt MPP France Gelinas whenever they need help, since her office is only about half an hour away.
"I welcome them, I see them, I go there and I pretend that I'm their MPP because it happens to be that [Timiskaming -Cochrane MPP] John Vanthof is a member of the same party that I'm in" said Gelinas. "Right now, it works. But I won't be there and John won't always be there. It's still a wrong that needs to be corrected."
Gelinas said residents from the Wahnapitae First Nation are often surprised to learn that they're not actually part of the Nickel Belt riding.
They're instead part of Timiskaming - Cochrane...and their MPP, John Vanthof has an office that is three hours away.
Gelinas feels this needs to be fixed.
"They've always belonged and did business with the city of Sudbury and with the riding of NIckel Belt." She added that the community falls within the riding of Nickel Belt at the federal level.
Gelinas recently presented a bill at Queen's Park to get the community switched over to her riding instead of Timiskaming-Cochrane.
Ted Rocque, Chief of the Wahnapitae First Nation, said his community doesn't bother contacting their MPP because of the distance.
He added some residents are so frustrated by this they don't even bother voting in provincial elections.
"Now they don't know where to turn. They're not going to go and call Timiskaming...so sometimes, they don't get their issues resolved.
with files from Samantha Lui