February 2, 2011
MP opposed to
"heritage river" status
by Kay McQuade
Local MP Cheryl Gallant
made an increasingly rare appearance at Renfrew County council last
Wednesday.
However, county mayors and reeves were left unhappy to hear that
Gallant continues to oppose the naming of the Ottawa River as a
Canadian “heritage river.”
“We all recognize the role the Ottawa River has played in the history
of the area,” Gallant said, but she remains opposed to the heritage
designation.
She expressed her concerns, saying the designation applies to the
Ontario side only and does not include the Quebec portion, and her
biggest concern is how the designation will affect the rights of
property owners and the watershed which includes almost all Renfrew
County.
She says you “can’t trust Toronto government when it comes to common
sense.”
Her fear is that in the absence of a Renfrew County Conservation
Authority, the neighbouring Rideau Valley Conservation Authority and
South Nation Conservation Authority would determine the use of the
river.
She also stated that “if the heritage designation has no legal
authority, what’s the point?”
Gallant did not invite questions at the end of her remarks but did say
she could be reached at her office.
Later in the council meeting the issue of heritage designation arose
again.
All members of county council signed a resolution last year to the
Prime Minister in support of the heritage designation for the Ottawa
River, an opposing position to that of Gallant.
Mayor Mary Campbell of McNab Braeside said Gallant is “confused” around
the issue of conservation authorities.
“The Ministry of Natural Resources is responsible for making decisions
in the absence of a conservation authority. All these organizations
must operate under the law.”
County council felt that if the local MP is not on board, the heritage
designation is unlikely to be approved.
Campbell said “we need to take positive steps to alleviate Ms Gallant’s
concerns.”
Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet, the county warden, directed county staff to
check into the issue of conservation authorities and determine who has
authority over the land.
He said “it is necessary to get a clearer picture on this so all
municipalities can feel confident in approving the heritage
designation.”
The effort to have the Ottawa River named a heritage river began back
in 2003 under the direction of former Liberal MP Len Hopkins.
The formal nomination was submitted in 2006 and approved by the
Canadian Heritage Rivers board in 2008, and the province of Ontario
signed off on the designation in April 2009.
County council passed a motion last summer calling on Prime Minister
Stephen Harper to “consider and ensure” that the heritage designation
documents are “immediately approved, thereby allowing the Ottawa River
to be recognized as the great and historic river that it truly is.”
In a presentation to county council, Larry Graham, chair of the Ottawa
River Heritage Designation committee, said there's just “one signature
left” to make the designation a reality, that of the federal
Environment Minister.
Graham said that typically in a case like this, the project would need
the sign-off from the local Member of Parliament before the minister
would give his approval, and that hasn't happened.
“She has not gone to bat for us,” Graham said of Gallant.
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