Monthly Archives: January 2010

As well as this Ottawa Citizen fame, Audrey is the innovator who set up the GuideGatineau group Patrouilleurs du parc/Park Patrollers

A visitor to Gatineau Park skiing Trail #50 between P19 and Healey Cabin snapped this photo of an ermine.

Here are a few other resources to tell you about these weasel cousins:

• Google Book Search International Wildlife Encyclopedia
• Smithsonian

Who doesn’t? But Rachelle has posted a short mouth watering item on her dinner last night at Keogan in Gatineau Park.

Of course I’ve dined too up in Keogan, Huron, McKinstry, etc. but I always think of those stories of people who’ve heard how great it is to eat up on one of the Gatineau Park shelters but when they arrive are surprised (and hungry) to find that they were required to bring their own comestibles.

A week ago on January 15 the NCC ended its public comment period for the first phase of its Gatineau Park Green Transportation Planning process. According to the NCC 800 questionnaires were submitted and from what I hear this is a bit of a record. “The project team is currently analyzing the responses received.  A consultation report will be available shortly on this website.”

They also say:

The next step in the consultation process will take place in spring 2010 and will focus on the results of the assessment phase. In workshop settings, participants will discuss possible solutions that could translate into options for action to be implemented. This consultation will be advertised and posted well in advance on the NCC website.

Louis via TriRudy and Treena via Twitter raises an ongoing issue reminding people not to leave valuables in their cars in Gatineau Park parking lots. In recent cases credit cards & cash are reported stolen when nothing else has been disturbed.

Louis says “The Gatineau Police indicated they have 4 or 5 reports from Gamelin in the last few days. If you’ve been a victim, you might wish to call Gatineau Park (819) 827 6020 to report. They were not aware of activity at Gamelin.”

Coupe Skinouk will take place at Relais Plein-air du parc de la Gatineau on Sat. and Sun. The trails around the RPA will be busy but not closed to public. Demsis ski patrol will attend the event to provide First Aid if necessary.

XCOttawa has posted news that an elite group of racers in the Gatineau Loppet will vie for $1,500 purses in the various categories, plus results will be eligible for the Canada Points List.

At a public Board meeting today the CEO Marie Lemay remarked on a planned change in how the public and interest groups will be able to present to the Board.

Here’s what she said:

[audio:http://media.libsyn.com/media/p2peak/NCC-Board-Meeting-input-change.mp3]

The upshot is that the next opportunity for this sort of public input will be in the spring of 2011.

At a public board meeting today the CEO’s report included the following concerning the acquisition of land to be added to Gatineau Park

Since the last meeting of the Board, we closed two transactions for a total of about 15 hectares (37 acres), which brings the total of private property acquired to 126.1 hectares (311.6 acres) since January 2008.

No details were included as to where these properties are located.

At a public board meeting today the CEO’s report included the following concerning the former Bill C-37:

The bill was introduced in the House of Commons in June 2009. In the fall of 2009, the bill proceeded for a second reading and was presented to the Standing Committee on Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. The Committee was to present a report to the House of Commons and the bill was to undergo a third reading in the House. Once adopted by the House of Commons, the bill would have been submitted to three more readings, this time in the Senate.

On December 30, 2009, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced that he was suspending Parliament until March 3, 2010, when it will reopen with a new Speech from the Throne setting out the Conservative government’s next agenda.

When a session of Parliament is ended by prorogation, all business of the House of Commons and Senate is terminated. Any bills that have not received Royal Assent are terminated, and are said to have “died on the Order Paper.” This includes Bill C37. To bring back a bill that has died on the Order Paper, the government must re-introduce the bill as a new bill in the next session. A motion is required to re-introduce a bill at the same stage it was at in the previous session.

An update will be provided at the next meeting.