Comments on: Legislative Summary of Bill C-20 https://guidegatineau.ca/blog/885/legislative-summary-of-bill-c-20/ for people who love Gatineau Park Fri, 08 Jul 2011 17:46:34 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2 By: Jean-Paul Murray https://guidegatineau.ca/blog/885/legislative-summary-of-bill-c-20/comment-page-1/#comment-814 Jean-Paul Murray Mon, 07 Jun 2010 15:27:30 +0000 https://guidegatineau.ca/news/?p=827#comment-814 Contrary to what the Conservative government has claimed, Bill C-20 fails to respond to concerns stakeholders and the public expressed before an independent review panel and ignores several key recommendations made by that panel. In April 2006, against a backdrop of increasing public distrust and dissatisfaction over the NCC’s secrecy and mismanagement, the government had set up the NCC Mandate Review Panel to determine whether the agency was still relevant and whether it could be reformed. When it tabled its report in December 2006, the Panel recommended greater parliamentary oversight of the NCC, to ensure better accountability, transparency and management. In particular, the Panel insisted Parliament be given final say in approving master plans for the nation’s capital, as well as any changes to the National Interest Land Mass (NILM). The Panel also urged the government to amend the National Capital Act to include a Charter that would clearly define Gatineau Park’s mandate and guarantee its better protection. Unfortunately, Bill C-20 fails to provide either the greater legislative oversight the Panel recommended or a Charter defining a vision for the park. Instead, it gives Cabinet authority to approve master plans, and allows the NCC to make changes to the NILM and to Gatineau Park boundaries. This virtually ensures that the process will remain shrouded in secrecy and subjected to public criticism. In the absence of parliamentary oversight, the NCC has made several significant changes to the NILM and to Gatineau Park boundaries in recent years. For instance, as a result of boundary “rationalization” in the 1990s – as well as major road building – the NCC furtively removed 1,842 acres from the park, or nearly three square miles. When pressed by parliamentarians to explain how it had done this, the agency gave several contradictory and misleading explanations – prompting a senator to raise a question of privilege in the Senate on November 22, 2005. Moreover, in the absence of a proper land management mechanism, the NCC has allowed the building of 119 new houses in Gatineau Park since 1992. Add to this a new superstore, coffee shop, gas station, fire hall, municipal pumping station and five new roads built in violation of master plans, and the need for stronger parliamentary oversight becomes even more urgent. In 2008, the proposed Carman Road development and the muddying of Meech Lake reported in the press were only the latest examples of threats Gatineau Park will continue to face in the absence of the thorough legislative oversight recommended by the NCC Mandate Review Panel and requested by citizens and stakeholders. Contrary to what the Conservative government has claimed, Bill C-20 fails to respond to concerns stakeholders and the public expressed before an independent review panel and ignores several key recommendations made by that panel.

In April 2006, against a backdrop of increasing public distrust and dissatisfaction over the NCC’s secrecy and mismanagement, the government had set up the NCC Mandate Review Panel to determine whether the agency was still relevant and whether it could be reformed.

When it tabled its report in December 2006, the Panel recommended greater parliamentary oversight of the NCC, to ensure better accountability, transparency and management. In particular, the Panel insisted Parliament be given final say in approving master plans for the nation’s capital, as well as any changes to the National Interest Land Mass (NILM). The Panel also urged the government to amend the National Capital Act to include a Charter that would clearly define Gatineau Park’s mandate and guarantee its better protection.

Unfortunately, Bill C-20 fails to provide either the greater legislative oversight the Panel recommended or a Charter defining a vision for the park. Instead, it gives Cabinet authority to approve master plans, and allows the NCC to make changes to the NILM and to Gatineau Park boundaries. This virtually ensures that the process will remain shrouded in secrecy and subjected to public criticism.

In the absence of parliamentary oversight, the NCC has made several significant changes to the NILM and to Gatineau Park boundaries in recent years. For instance, as a result of boundary “rationalization” in the 1990s – as well as major road building – the NCC furtively removed 1,842 acres from the park, or nearly three square miles.

When pressed by parliamentarians to explain how it had done this, the agency gave several contradictory and misleading explanations – prompting a senator to raise a question of privilege in the Senate on November 22, 2005.

Moreover, in the absence of a proper land management mechanism, the NCC has allowed the building of 119 new houses in Gatineau Park since 1992. Add to this a new superstore, coffee shop, gas station, fire hall, municipal pumping station and five new roads built in violation of master plans, and the need for stronger parliamentary oversight becomes even more urgent.

In 2008, the proposed Carman Road development and the muddying of Meech Lake reported in the press were only the latest examples of threats Gatineau Park will continue to face in the absence of the thorough legislative oversight recommended by the NCC Mandate Review Panel and requested by citizens and stakeholders.

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