The Member of Parliament for Windsor-Tecumseh has officially announced he will back legislation creating a national urban park in Windsor.
Irek Kusmierczyk, a Liberal, announced Tuesday that he will vote for Bill C-248, which will amend the Canada National Parks Act to create the Ojibway National Urban Park.
Bill C-248, introduced by Windsor West MP Brian Masse, had its final hour of debate last week, with a third-reading vote set for Wednesday morning.
"I am proud to announce that in that spirit of togetherness, I will be voting in support of Brian’s Private Members’ Bill [Wednesday]," said Kusmierczyk. "I surmise that my Liberal colleagues will do the same. Canadians want to see Members of Parliament of all stripes working together."
Kusmierczyk said he had supported a national urban park, even before the bill was introduced in the House of Commons. He recalled being invited by Masse to learn the ropes after being elected to Parliament, and the topic first came up.
"At one point, Brian unrolled a giant poster on his desk that depicts a map of an Ojibway National Urban Park," said Kusmierczyk. "Eighteen months later, we stood together at Ojibway Nature Centre to announce that we were on the path to creating an Ojibway National Urban Park. It was a great day for our community."
Another local MP, Essex Conservative Chris Lewis, also promised support for Bill C-248.
All three major opposition parties in Ottawa had pledged support, but the Liberal government did not at first because it had launched a process to develop national urban parks at locations throughout the country. While this process has not been completed there were some discussions about whether the parks would be protected by legislation.
Kusmierczyk praised the City of Windsor, Friends of Ojibway Prairie, the Essex County Field Naturalists, and Caldwell and Walpole Island First Nations for their tireless advocacy.
"None seek the spotlight. They just want to do what’s good for the environment and the community," said Kusmierczyk. "These are the folks who will create an Ojibway National Urban Park in partnership with Parks Canada."
Once the bill passes third reading as expected, it will proceed to the Senate.
The Ojibway National Urban Park would include Ojibway Park, Spring Garden Natural Area, Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Park, Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve, and Ojibway Shores, a 33-acre parcel of land that represents the last undeveloped shoreline on the Detroit River.
---with files from Maureen Revait
