Thank you for defending Gatineau Park!
February 14, 2025
Thank you for Standing up for Gatineau Park!
Government Response to CPAWS Gatineau Park Petitions Tabled
The Government of Canada has responded to our 3 groups of CPAWS sponsored petitions, one of them on-line, presented last year by Ms Sophie Chatel, MP for Pontiac. 2760 petitioners called on the House of Commons to amend the National Capital Act to grant Gatineau Park legislative protection to ensure its preservation for future generations. You can read the government response here:
https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-4347.
We would like to thank Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel for presenting our petitions and we commend her for continued efforts to safeguard Gatineau Park’s rich natural and cultural heritage for the benefit of all Canadians. Further, we would like to thank MP Sophie Chatel and Quebec Senator Rosa Galvez for working with us on Bill S-289, An Act to Amend the National Capital Act, introduced in the Senate on October 10. Although the Bill died on the order paper with the prorogation of Parliament, we appreciate the efforts that went into this initiative and vow to keep up the momentum as we move into a new chapter of our government this spring.
With respect to our CPAWS sponsored petitions, we are disappointed that the Government Response does not recognize the urgency of protecting Gatineau Park in the face of the twin crises of climate change and accelerated biodiversity loss. There is no indication to as to how or when the Government intends to introduce legislation for protecting the Park, even though the 2021 Master Plan (Section 8.7) states that the legal “framework must be studied,” particularly specifying the park’s protected status and its boundaries under legislation. In addition, the Master Plan states that “improving the legal framework will make it possible to clarify the management role entrusted to the NCC, enabling it to fulfill its mandate and achieve the objectives of the master plan.” While stating that NCC owned land is subject to federal jurisdiction the Response avoids mentioning the extent to which provincial and municipal laws apply to the park and what impact they have. Strangely the Government Response avoids the Master Plan language which implies that legislation is required so that the NCC can adequately manage the park in the overall public interest of Canadians, the goal of CPAWS-OV and those who signed the petition.
CPAWS-OV will continue to advocate, on your behalf, for robust amendments to the National Capital Act to ensure the boundaries of Gatineau Park are recognized by an Act of Parliament and to ensure that the Park’s management has the legal authority it needs to ensure the preservation of the park’s natural resources and outdoor recreational value for present and future generations.
