Windsor West MP Brian Masse's private member's bill to establish Ojibway National Urban Park was debated for the first time Monday.
“The introduction of this bill to establish Ojibway National Park is the culmination of years, if not decades, of work by many residents of this region fighting to protect this unique ecosystem in one of the most heavily developed areas in the country. It has been a real privilege and honour to be the one to finally present the legislation in the House of Commons that so many people locally, nationally, and internationally want to see become law and have this environmental gem be protected forever,” said Masse.
The proposed Ojibway National Urban Park (NUP) would include Ojibway Park, Spring Garden Natural Area, Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Park, Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, and Ojibway Shores. These parcels of land are currently owned by different levels of government, connecting them through the National Urban Park would give stewardship of the land to Parks Canada.
“This is the final piece of the puzzle to making this park a reality. I am honoured to have been able to debate this bill, and I thank my colleagues across all party lines for their support. All those years of work by so many people across this city and country” Masse stated.
The second hour of debate and vote at the second reading will take place in late May or early June.
Meanwhile, Parks Canada is currently in negotiations with several current landowners to establish a National Urban Park in the same area through a process introduced in August.
Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk said the bill undermines this process.
"Bill C-248 introduces a flawed process that is not based on public consultation and instead would harm the authentic and organic relationship and engagement required in the successful creation of a new urban park," said Kusmierczyk.
He said this bill assumes a single governance model, Parks Canada, while the current process underway is evaluating several models that may be more suitable.
