The Chateau Laurier Hotel redevelopment.

Reasons why this proposal has to be re-examined:

1.)  The hotel and the American Embassy were built on Parliament Hill:

House of Commons Debates Ottawa July 6, 1908. The Hon. Robert Laird Borden (Leader of the Official Opposition): "...We take this national property immediately contigious to and indeed forming part of the grounds of this parliament, and we propose to build a hotel upon it."

2.)  "I believe all of the properties facing Parliament Hill should be owned and controlled by the government in order to prevent structures being erected thereon which may destroy the harmony and beauty of the buildings on this hill." Prime Minister of Canada William Lyon Mackenzie King, in a speech before the House of Commons, April 24,1928.

3.)  During the year 1969 land was expropriated from Major's Hill Park for the hotel parking garage. In 1995 the American government built an embassy on Major's Hill Park. Now the park will be integrated into the Chateau property:

"Given that the Fairmont Chateau Laurier is on private lands, the National Capital Commission's role is to work with the proponent to integrate the new addition with Major's Hill Park and the Rideau Canal terraces." (From: Proposed addition to the Chateau Laurier-Transparency.) Members of Parliament never wanted federal parkland to be the back yard for a commercial enterprise:

House of Commons  Ottawa July 6, 1908. George Halsey Perley, Conservative: "...The hotel is going to get the benefit of the whole of Major's Hill Park. Even if there is a space left as an entrance, the park really will be the back garden for the hotel."

Haughton Lennox, Conservative: "The people's rights could be interfered with if there is not a fence placed between the hotel and the park."

4.)  The National Capital Commission does not have the power to approve or reject the architectural designs for the landmark because it is privately owned. However, the Grand Trunk Railway was not nationalized until 1918--- and the government had control over the GTR hotel design in 1908:

House of Commons Ottawa July 6, 1908. William Pugsley (Minister of Public Works) Conservative: "Before giving a conveyance, we must have the plans submitted to us and approved by the government...The Governor in Council will not allow any departure from these plans unless, on the advice of our chief architect, we think they should be altered."

5.) Views of the Parliament Buildings will be impacted:

Regional Municipality of Ottawa-Carleton Response to NCC's Draft "Plan for Canada's Capital": 

"...Councillor Legendre also noted in the Urban Design section of the NCC's report, the policy spoke to protecting the views and symbolic primacy of the Parliament Buildings. He said similar words had long been used in the NCC's vision documents, yet he felt when a project or specific proposal came forward, the NCC offered no support. The Councillor said the most recent example of this was the new American Embassy. He recounted he had been on City Council when the proposal came forward, and the NCC had offered no support with regard to protecting the views and vistas of Parliament Hill, particularly from the Byward Market, along Clarence Street looking toward Parliament Hill." (From: Confirmation of minutes, City of Ottawa September 2, 1998.)

6.) The NCC has a duty to protect national historic sites: .One of the key objectives in 1988---to safeguard and preserve national treasures. (From: The National Capital Commission-The Canadian Encyclopedia,)

7.)  New buildings constructed beside the Rideau Canal have to follow the guidelines outlined in "The Rideau Canal National Historic Site-Principles of Good Waterfront Development."

8.)  Buffer zones will be breached. The Connaught Building, Rideau Canal and the Chateau are National Historic Sites of Canada and they are protected by a 500-metre buffer zone. The Connaught Building is located at 555 MacKenzie Avenue. "There will be a space of 120 feet from the hotel to the other side of MacKenzie Avenue". (Sir Wilfred Laurier, Prime Minister and President of the Privy Council, House of Commons, July 6, 1908.)

Parliament Hill 

June 18, 2020, CBC News image. Parliament Hill in Ottawa has already been sold to the Grand Trunk Railway/Chateau Laurier Hotel and American Embassy. Land has now been expropriated for the City of Ottawa's Light Rail Transit and another entity dug a giant crater in front of the Centre Block of Parliament.

Unbelievable.

The Chateau Laurier Hotel.

Former Canadian trademarks.

Winnie the Pooh was a black bear from White River, Ontario adopted by a Canadian World War 1 soldier.

The Smiths Falls,Ontario water tower has been painted over.

My Dad trademarked the phrase "The House Detective."

The House Detective was a television program that was produced from 1962 until 1963.

The RCMP image was reclaimed by the government.

The Chateau Laurier Hotel was built on hallowed ground...

... Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa July 6, 1908. The Hon. Robert Laird Borden (Leader of the Official Opposition): "...This proposal to thrust a hotel onto the grounds of parliament is so incongruous and unnecessary that I cannot understand how the government ever came to accede to it. I have already said and I repeat it, that it would be just as well for the government to have authorized the building of that hotel on one of the lawns in front of this building...This is national property."

"We take this national property immediately contiguous to and indeed forming part of the grounds of this parliament, and we propose to build a hotel upon it."

A speech presented by Canadian Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King to the House of Commons, April 24, 1928:

"...Ottawa is the focal centre of the Dominion; it is the heart of a nation that has grown great not only in its own affairs but in the affairs of the world at large...Nothing could be done which would be more in the future interests of the city than to have the land along both sides of the Ottawa river acquired for public purposes. Similarly, there should be secured the land along both sides of the Rideau river and the Rideau Canal."

"...I believe all the properties facing Parliament Hill should be owned and controlled by this government in order to prevent structures being erected thereon which may destroy the harmony and beauty of the buildings on this hill. More than that - and this does not relate to the present but to the future - I believe there should be acquired in connection with this capital and the sooner the better a great tract of land, in the nature of a national park, which will be a fitting adjunct to the capital of our country."

"This capital is the seat of the government of the country. It should be and it is more than the seat of government. It is here in the capital of Canada that we have the residence of the representative of His Majesty the King.It is here that we have the official residence of the diplomatic representative of the nation to the south, the legation of the United States. It will be the future home of the diplomatic representatives of other countries..."

"We have in the city archives which are second to none in any country in the world. We have a national art gallery with art treasures of great value to this nation. We have a national museum...We are planning at this time the development of important laboratories for scientific research."

"Our public buildings, as far as their architectural merits are concerned, are with few exceptions worthy of our country. In addition to the houses of parliament there are other public buildings which constitute exceptionally beautiful specimens of architecture, such as the Chateau Laurier."

No words....

The City of Ottawa does not have the right to "modernize" the Greber Plan.

 Plan for the National Capital 1950 by Jacques Greber.

"The Master Plan is dedicated as a National War Memorial." (page 11/395). "The Master Plan herein set forth organizes and protects a vast area of urban,rural and wooded territories." (page 7/395.) The National War Memorial will encompass 900 square miles.

  5 Big Moves|The New Official Plan| Engage Ottawa. Big Move 3: Urban and Community Design.

• This strategy may include renewed partnerships with the NCC on possible diversification of the use of certain federally-owned green spaces in key locations. (from page 14/24, New Official Plan, August 13, 2019.)

"The City has identified more than 13,700 acres of the Greenbelt... that could be developed." (from "Beyond Ottawa 20/20. Tabling of the Official Plan Review-White Paper on Development in the Greenbelt.")

There are several recommendations in the Official Plan that I object to:

• removing any green space that is collectively owned by all Canadians.
• selling the air rights above community centres to condominium developers.
• encouraging the creation of "parkettes" which encompass less than one acre of land. There are vast areas of land in Nepean and Somerset Ward that could be converted into national parks. Why do the royal families own hundreds of thousands of acres of land, while children in Ottawa have to play in parkettes or cement plazas. Not only that, recreational land is off-limits---the Lebreton Flats, Greenbelt Research Farm and the skating rink and grounds at Rideau Hall. The only people who can visit the 2021 Tulip Festival on Commissioners Park are nearby residents.

The following properties are part of Jacques Greber's Greenbelt:

 Greenbelt Research Farm.  Commissioners Park.  Majors Hill Park. 

.Affordable Housing Opportunities-

 1.)Tom Brown Arena, 141 Bayview Road.

• Property Owner-City of Ottawa.
• Location-Site located along the easterly limits of Mechanicsville/Hintonburg south of both Albert and Scott Street at the intersection of the Trillium (O-Train) Corridor and the Bayview Station.
• Site Area-1.8 hectares or 4.4479 acres.
• Zoning - Mature Neighbourhood Overlay - relevant for residential dwellings of four storeys or less.
• Height Limit - 11 metres (12 storeys) but not for residential.
• Official Plan - Schedule B - General Urban Area.

Councillors call on city to reopen park green space. Ottawa closed all city parks and amenities on March 27 amid pandemic. by Hillary Johnstone, CBC News, May 5, 2020.

"Seven Ottawa city councillors have co-signed an open letter calling on the city to reopen green spaces in Ottawa's parks...Many residents have been struggling with physical and mental health without adequate space to physically distance while getting outside. Access to nature, open spaces and room for exercise are important and necessary coping strategies that are well documented to increase well-being and physiological resiliance...For families with small children, and those who have little or no green space on their properties, the closure of parks has been especially difficult..."

The letter was signed by councillors Shawn Menard, Riley Brockington, Catherine McKenney, Carol Anne Meehan, Rawlson King, Jeff Leiper and Theresa Kavanagh.

The City of Ottawa and the Greenbelt.

"In February 2019, Ottawa mayor Jim Watson began the process to develop a modern version of the Greber Plan, a 25-year plan for the city, anticipating breaching a population of 1 million residents, and foreseeing a part of a megaregion to also encompass Toronto and Montreal." (From: The Greber Plan-Wikipedia.)

 The City wants 1/4th of the Greenbelt, which is land that Jacques Greber protected from encroachment. (From: "Beyond Ottawa 20/20. Tabling of the Official Plan Review-White Paper on Development in the Greenbelt.")

"The City of Ottawa is undergoing an Official Plan Review which, among other things, examines the need for additional land for urban purposes...The City has identified more than 13,700 acres of the Greenbelt, worth about $1.6 billion that could be developed in their view without damaging its overall integrity."

Protect the Greenbelt from devastating development. A letter to Mayor Jim Watson from CPAWS, regarding a transit project:  "Dear Mayor Watson: CPAWS Ottawa Valley has long been focused on the preservation of Ottawa and the surrounding area's ecological integrity, natural beauty and diverse species.It is as a CPAWS supporter that I learned of the proposed changes to the Greenbelt."

"As a resident of the National Capital Region, the Greenbelt is important to me. It provides jobs, fresh local food and countless recreation opportunities. More importantly, it provides critical habitat for plants and animals, including many species at risk. Mer Bleue is the most biologically diverse area in Eastern Ontario, an internationally recognized RAMSAR site and living laboratory where scientists from across Canada and around the world come to learn about climate change, bogs and the species which depend on them. We are so fortunate to have that resource within our city!"

A few of the Greenbelt properties:  

Commissioners Park at Preston and Queen Elizabeth Driveway-a major venue for the Tulip Festival. The 22-acre property is very close to the Dow's Lake parking lot where a cluster of 30 to 50 storey condominiums will be constructed.

Wesley Clover Parks - the former National Equestrian Park and Ottawa Municipal Campground.

Bruce Pit - at Hunt Club and Baseline. An off-leash dog park, cross-country trail and toboggan hill.

Conroy Pit - near Hunt Club, an off-leash dog park and toboggan hill.

Hornets Nest soccer field- eleven soccer fields and an air-supported dome.

Agriculture Canada Research Farm- 1740 Woodroffe Avenue. 

The map is from the Archives of Canada on Wellington Street.

Canadian politicians who did not want to see the Greenbelt exploited:

Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King invited Jacques Greber from Paris to create a "living memorial in the National Capital, to honour Canadians who were killed fighting in foreign wars."

Prime Minister John Diefenbaker-House of Commons, June 18, 1958.

Prime Minister Brian Mulroney created the National Interest Land Mass designation in 1988, to rein in the National Capital Commission and to stop the City of Ottawa from using federal property as a land bank. NILM properties cannot be sold or subdivided; will be owned by Canadians in perpetuity, and Treasury Board has little or no involvement with NILM holdings:

  Gatineau Park. 

 The Greenbelt. 

 Land beside the scenic parkways ---Sir John A. Macdonald; Queen Elizabeth Driveway; Sir George Etienne Cartier, etc.

Victoria Island.

Lebreton Flats

Green Island.

Land beside the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River.

Minister of the Environment Jim Prentice.

House of Commons Ottawa  May 25,2010. MP Marcel Proulx (Hull-Aylmer, Liberal): "...The Liberal members from the National Capital Region, the member for Ottawa South,the member for Ottawa-Vanier and myself, are calling for better protection for the greenbelt.There are no serious regulations protecting the greenbelt."

"Together the City of Ottawa and the NCC can do whatever they want with this land. We believe this green space must be protected from developers...Given that the greenbelt is completely unprotected, we firmly believe it must be given the same safeguards as Gatineau Park."

House of Commons  Ottawa November 26, 2007. MP Marcel Proulx (Hull-Aylmer, Liberal): "Mr. Speaker, the Greber Plan gave us the greenbelt to create a green, modern and avant-garde capital. The greenbelt contains farms, forests and wetlands, which provide opportunities for recreational and outdoor activities as well as learning...Now the new president of the NCC....wants to promote urban development in the greenbelt. Does the government plan on letting (him) do what he wants and permanently destroy our precious greenbelt?"

Hon. John Baird (Minister of the Environment, Conservative Party of Canada.): "Mr. Speaker, as a member from the Ottawa region, from the capital region, I am well aware that this was a very good policy. I completely agree with the member."

House of Commons Ottawa September 16, 2009. Hon. Gordon O'Connor: "Mr. Speaker, I am one of the great supporters of the greenbelt. I believe it is part of our heritage and it must last as long in the future as possible...The long-term goal of the NCC would be to try to protect as much of the ecological basis of the greenbelt as possible..."

House of Commons Ottawa June 22, 1992. Mrs. Beryl Gaffney (Nepean) Liberal: "...The greenbelt was established to control urban sprawl, provide beauty to the nation's capital, assist municipalities in local improvements such as the cycling paths, the Stoney Swamp, the Pinhey Forest and the Log Farm. They have all added to the enhancement and beauty of the nation's capital."

"The people of Nepean are most concerned that the NCC is moving away from that premise. Does this government plan on continuing the status quo with the Nepean greenbelt lands or does the government plan on putting these lands up for sale? The majority of us in Nepean clearly do not want the greenbelt chipped away for residential and commercial development. We want and we deserve an answer."

House of Commons Ottawa August 11, 1987. Mr. Don Boudria (Glengarry-Prescott-Russell) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, last night some 500 people protested the proposal to build a garbage incinerator at Walkley Road and Russell Road in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to express my disagreement with any plan which could result in the use of National Capital Commission land be turned from the Greenbelt into the garbage belt."

"It is the responsibility of the NCC to protect and maintain the Greenbelt surrounding the National Capital. We are proud of the Greenbelt and we are proud of our city. Therefore I ask the Minister of Public Works (Mr. McInnis) to state clearly that under no circumstances would he allow the Greenbelt lands of the National Capital Commission to be used for a garbage incinerator or any other purpose, like a U.S. embassy." (Note: Major's Hill Park is designated as Greenbelt land, and the U.S. Embassy was built on Major's Hill Park.) 

 Major's Hill Park was part of Parliament Hill before the Rideau Canal was built."The park was cut off from Parliament Hill by the Rideau Canal,from Sussex Drive by the Chateau Laurier, and from the Byward Market by the temporary buildings between Mackenzie and Sussex." When the World War 11 temporary buildings were torn down the land should have been returned to Canadians. (Urbsite photo.)

The National Capital Commission.

1.)  Closed the gates to Rideau Hall on Sussex Drive, Ottawa from 1986-1990 and 2020-?.

2.)  Refers to the Sparks Street Mall as "Public Enemy Number 1." "Sparks Street: The five-block, eastwest pedestrian mall and surrounding area is the NCC's public enemy No.1.(From "Tidying up a mess" Macleans Magazine, September 3,2001.)  "It's Crown against Town and sparks are flying as the National Capital Commission prepares to demolish an entire city block in downtown Ottawa. City officials, businessmen and private citizens alike fear that the NCC's plan to raze Sparks Street and replace it with office towers, apartments, stores and restaurants will destroy rather than revitalize the downtown core." (From: Globe and Mail newspaper, May 2, 2001.)

3.)  Refuses to get involved in the Chateau Laurier controversy, despite the fact that UNESCO may remove the Rideau Canal's designation as a World Heritage Site.

4.)  Refuses to relocate the site of a new medical centre, despite the fact that UNESCO may remove the Rideau Canal's designation as a World Heritage Site, if the centre is built. 

5.)  The Crown corporation is expropriating part of Parliament Hill for a Light Rail Transit project.

6.)  Tried to convince Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan to transfer 600 acres of the Experimental Farm to the City, for the construction of thousands of homes. (Mid-1970's).

7.)  Plans to remove vehicles from Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill, except for a tram. Tourists from all over the world charter buses to transport them to historic venues; in fact the federal Tourist Information Centre was located on 90 Wellington Street.A statue of Terry Fox is located in the plaza.

8.)  Appealed to the Ontario Municipal Board when the Mayor and Council refused to rezone the 88-acre Moffat Farm near Mooney's Bay. (2002.)

9.)  Wanted to create an embassy row on a meadow near Rockcliffe called "The Mile Circle."

10.) Wants to create an embassy row on greenspace in Mechanicsville.

11.)  Refuses to protect the Dominion Observatory campus on Carling Avenue, Ottawa from intentional or accidental demolition. Accidental, from blasting when a medical centre is built nearby. The greenhouses are also at risk.

12.)  Permitted the American government to construct an embassy on land that was destined for Major's Hill Park. A street has been blocked off because it is a buffer zone.

13.)  Land is being removed for a transit endeavour along Baseline Road---land from the Experimental Farm, many private residences and the Pinecrest Cemetery.

How to balkanize the second-largest country in the world.

1.) Privatize Canada's national railway, federal highways and bridges."Parks Canada to look at divesting highways, bridges, dams" by Dean Beeby, CBC News, August 26, 2017.

2.) Permit the de-nationalization of Crown corporations including the CBC, Canada Post; CMHC, and federal parks.  

A Fraser Institute document.

The National Parks in the province of British Columbia are Yoho; Pacific Rim; Gulf Islands; Mount Revelstoke; Kootenay; Glacier, Gwaii Haanas and Stanley Park, perpetually leased to the Vancouver Park Board.

3.) Sell important landmarks: Proposed Sale of CN Tower:

 House of Commons Ottawa December 7,1987: MP Neil Young (Beaches, Toronto.) New Democratic Party: "Can you imagine, Mr. Speaker, the Government of Egypt selling off the Pyramids, the Chinese people placing the Great Wall on the auction block, or the Eiffel Tower turned over to the private sector? Only in Canada we say "Sell the CN Tower."

"And what is the CN Tower to be called: Alpo Dog Food Heights, Loblaws Skyscraper, Pizza Pizza Peak or perhaps Ronald Reagan Lookout? The Tower was built with $57 million of Canadian money. It does serve fifteen media centres. It does accomodate two million visitors a year, and it does bring a sense of pride to Canadians."

"All of this and the Tower turned a tidy $5 million profit last year. If the Government insists on bequeathing the CN Tower to the private sector, it should at least attempt to secure a guarantee the purchaser will find a small place for an epitaph displayed for all Canadians to see."

4.)  Dismantle most of the Expo pavilions. Mayor of Montreal Jean Drapeau wanted to see all of the pavilions preserved as a national historic site. Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell sang "Aint No Mountain High Enough" in front of the province of Ontario showcase:

The image of Tammy Terrell and Marvin Gaye is from YouTube.

Canadian logos.

Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

CN Rail was a Crown corporation.

Expo 67.

There is hope.

 1.)  Prime Minister of Canada Pierre Trudeau promised that the National Parks will be always be owned by the citizens of Canada. House of Commons Debates Ottawa February 24, 1970: The Hon. Jack Marshall, (Humber-St. Georges-St. Barbe) Liberal: "National parks are a national domain set aside by the Parliament of Canada for all the people..." 

House of Commons Debates Ottawa February 17, 1970. MP John Leroy Skoberg (Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.) New Democratic Party: "...If we wish to retain our identity and have truly national parks it is high time we kept these national parks in perpetuity.."

2.)  Prime Minister Louis St-Laurent said that the Experimental Farm will be an open space in perpetuity.

3.)  The government of Canada is reclaiming the Quebec Bridge from CN Rail (Bill Gates): House of Commons Debates Ottawa March 24, 2010: MP Brian Jean: "Madam Speaker, I am very pleased to speak to Motion 423, regarding the acquisition of of the Quebec Bridge from the Canadian National Railway. Motion No. 423 'That, in the opinion of the House, the government should purchase the Pont de Quebec for one dollar and commit to quickly finishing the repair work so as to respect its importance as a historical monument and a vital transportation link for the Quebec City region."

4.)  The RCMP image has been reclaimed from the Walt Disney Corporation.

5.)  An anonymous benefactor bought the Kingston Dry Dock National Historic Site of Canada and the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes will reopen:

Kingston Dry Dock, 55 Ontario Street.

6.)  2067 Greenbelt Vision Statement. "The Greenbelt will forever protect natural systems, agriculture and opportunities for outdoor recreation that will inspire Canadians and contribute to the sustainability and quality of life in Canada's Capital Region. The Greenbelt will remain in the public domain." (Page 53/196.)

House of Commons Debates Ottawa September 16, 2009. The Hon. Steven Blaney (Levis, Quebec.) Conservative: "...Other properties found in the Greenbelt are Commissioners Park where there is a display of over 100,000 tulips." The park is located at Preston and the Queen Elizabeth Driveway.

7.)  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reopened the Kitsilano Coast Guard Station in Vancouver, BC and the Frelighsburg Experimental Farm in Eastern Quebec.

8.)  Senate Bill S-203 is saving federal properties opposite Parliament Hill from demolition and facadism. That includes the buildings on the northern half of the Sparks Street Mall that the Trudeau government expropriated in 1973---to prevent the construction of condos and to save the historic edifices. The Greber Report of 1950, page 337/395. "The south side of Wellington Street should be dignified and be treated as a continuous monument background to the north side. It should be subject to very strict height restrictions."

The attempt to destroy Canadian nationalism.

1.)  Sell the Canadian National Railway hotels to Fairmont---the Chateau Laurier; Jasper Park Lodge; Hotel Macdonald; Hotel Vancouver; Queen Elizabeth; Fort Garry; Newfoundland Hotel; Hotel Beausejour; Bessborough; Nova Scotian.

2.) Permit the construction of an inappropriate addition to the Chateau Laurier in Ottawa. The Chateau was built on the former grounds of Parliament Hill; is a National Historic Site of Canada; part of Confederation Square and is protected by Part 1V of the Ontario Heritage Act.

3.)  Remove the word "Canada" from thousands of Canada Post mailboxes, delivery trucks, etc:

A statement in the House of Commons by Member of Parliament Dennis Mills, May 15, 1992.

4.)  Privatize the 1,000 lighthouses that were part of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada portfolio.

6.)  Let foreign entities demolish and redevelop the Parliamentry Precinct across from Parliament Hill.

7.)  Privatize government buildings after they are stripped of Canada's Maple Leaf Flag, Coat of Arms and the names of notable people.

8.)  Rewrite history---rename the Prince of Wales Bridge in the Capital. Eliminate any reference to Canada's British heritage on streetnames and government buildings. When I was a schoolgirl during the 1950's and 1960's my classmates and I sang "God Save the Queen" and "O Canada" before lessons proceeded. We sang "Canada" by Bobby Gimby during the 100th anniversary of Confederation in 1967.

9.)  Take Parliament Hill away from the citizens of this country. Sell part of the land to the City of Ottawa for their Light Rail Transit project, and dig a giant crater in front of the Centre Block of Parliament.

10.) Ruin the Experimental Farm on Carling Avenue---during the mid-1970's the government of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau refused to transfer 600 acres of the Farm to the municipality. Agriculture Minister Eugene Whelan said the land was "untouchable." 50-storey condos are now envisioned for the the Dow's Lake parking lot.

11.) De-pave the scenic parkways in the Capital, which are named in honour of prominant individuals.

12.) Sell the RCMP image to the Walt Disney Corporation.

13.) Sell the Hockey Night in Canada theme song.

14.) Refuse to repatriate Earnscliffe on Sussex Drive, the former home of Sir John A. Macdonald. The British High Commission is building a new embassy or bunker that will totally obscure the house. 

15.) Permit the takeover of National Parks: House of Commons Debates  Ottawa  March 19, 1998. Mr. Rick Laliberte (Churchill River, Saskatchewan.) New Democratic Party: "The Canadian Parks Agency Act is a capitalist form of commercialization of our national parks and eventual privatization."

Mr. Nelson Riis (Kamloops, British Columbia.) New Democratic Party: "...Members can probably tell that I do not support Bill C-29 at this point...This bill involves a great deal of Canada: 31 national parks, 786 historical sites, a number of historical canal systems (Rideau Canal from Ottawa to Kingston, Ontario-savecfbrockcliffe.), 661 sites that are managed by third parties that are ecologically or environmentally significant, 165 heritage railroad stations, 31 heritage river systems..."

"If someone is a wealthy person or from a high income family and someone tells them that in order to use the parks they will have to pay $10 dollars to canoe down the river, $20 dollars per night for firewood and $50 dollars to park a tent for a day or two its no big deal."

"However if we pass this legislation we are going to put access to Canada's national parks out of the reach of many, many Canadians...Increasingly, we will be turning the parks into some kind of quasi-business operation.That is not what Canada is all about."

Mr. Howard Hilstrom (Selkirk-Interlake, Manitoba.) Reform: "Mr. Speaker, I am quite interested in the financial aspects of this bill. Is there a possibility of foreign interests getting involved in our parks system?"

Mr. Nelson Riis: "Obviously the answer is yes...We lack a national park policy just as we lack a national waterways policy and a national highway policy."

16.)  Decommission the Dominion Astrophysical Observatory near Carling Avenue, Ottawa. My fellow classmates and I visited the observatory during the year 1965 and we looked through the telescope. One day the landmark will reopen, if it is not flattened by blasting when a medical centre is built nearby.

17.)  House of Commons Debates Ottawa February 7, 1994. Mr. Alex Shepherd (Durham) Liberal: "Mr. Speaker, those of us who are proud Canadians are offended that CP Rail has decided to change its company logo into what in effect looks like the Canadian flag becoming or being subsumed into the American flag...Regardless of CP's rights as a private company to choose any logo it wants, Canadians should have a voice in this matter..."

The CP Rail logo during the mid-1990's.

18.)  Sell or give away federal bridges to the Municipality of Ottawa---the Mackenzie King and Laurier bridges that span the Rideau Canal and infrastructure in Lebreton Flats and Confederation Heights.

 

19.)  Politicians and historical societies prevented the demolition of Toronto's Union Station; Ottawa's Union Station; the Summerhill train station in North Toronto; the former Teachers College on 195 Elgin Street, Ottawa; Royal Canadian Mint, 320 Sussex Drive, Ottawa; the East Block of Parliament and Rideau Canal.

20.)  De-nationalize all federal property in Canada. "In one year, with the support of this bill, it is possible that there will be no Crown land assets left." (MP Dennis Mills, House of Commons, November 22, 1991.)

21.) "Parks Canada to look at divesting highways, bridges, dams." by Dan Beeby, Senior Reporter, Parliamentary Bureau, CBC News, August 26, 2017. "Parks Canada operates 46 national parks, a national urban park, four national conservation areas and 171 national historic sites, including historic canals." The dams, bridges, highways, nature trails and culverts in the line of fire are worth $8 billion dollars. In my estimation they are priceless--- the Icefields Parkway that runs through Banff National Park and railway bridges...

22.) Cancel the Avro Arrow project in 1959. A CBC mini-series about the enterprise can be viewed on Vimeo, "The Arrow" starring Dan Aykroyd. 

The mandate of the NCC is to beautify Canada's Capital.

Not to profit from the sale of Crown assets.

"The National Capital Commission is developing a new policy for its scenic parkways that will give priority to accomodating pedestrians and cyclists rather than automobiles.The proposal is aiming for a shift in paradigm, putting the park back into the parkway...The parkways should not be viewed as commuter routes."  "When completed next year the Capital Urban Lands Master Plan will be the first such plan covering federally owned parkways, recreational pathways, riverbanks, employment areas such as Tunney's Pasture and Confederation Heights and the Central Experimental Farm." (From: "Proposed NCC policy aims to put the park back into parkway." by Don Butler, Ottawa Citizen, May 20, 2014.)

An OC Transpo bus on the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, Ottawa, Ontario Canada. As I have said before, one of the joys of my life is travelling on the scenic parkways in buses and taxis. You are discriminating against people who are older and physically challenged when you ban traffic from commuter routes, NCC. 

When I travelled on the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway I could see the Ottawa River, Gatineau Hills, Westboro Beach, buildings and hills in Gatineau and trees. On the Queen Elizabeth Driveway I could view the Dow's Lake pavilion and Rideau Canal.  Now you want to ban vehicles on the aforementioned highways and Wellington Street. How could you, National Capital Commission, take away my access to one of the most beautiful cities in the world.  De-paving the roads will create thousands of acres of "surplus" federal real estate. This endeavour is all about real estate, not about saving the environment or giving the land back to the people.

House of Commons Debates Ottawa May 15, 1970. Mr. D. Gordon Blair (Grenville-Carleton) Liberal: "I would like to direct a question to the Acting Prime Minister...Is the government aware of a statement or statements to the press by the Chairman of the NCC to the effect that he might close the national capital parkways in this region for a week for the strange purpose of proving their importance in carrying traffic? The second part of my question is whether the Acting Prime Minister can assure the House that the government will not permit the people of this area to be inconvenienced by the disruption that this extraordinary and senseless experiment will cause?"

The Hon. George James McIlraith (Acting Prime Minister.): "The statement has caused concern. I am very doubtful that the Chairman of the Commission has any such authority under the National Capital Act passed by this Parliament."

 "Federal, scenic highways and parks in the National Capital Region are dedicated to the memory of Canadian soldiers who died fighting in foreign wars." (Greber Report of 1950, page 228/395.)

The following parkways and adjacent land will be owned by the citizens of Canada in perpetuity: Ottawa River, Wellington St. to Carling Ave. 254 ha.   Airport, 120 ha.  Eastern, Hemlock Rd. to Hwy 417, 72 ha.  Eastern & Rockcliffe Park from Sussex Drive to Greenbelt, 255 ha.  Potential NILM properties: Western Corridor, Carling Ave. to Queensway, 40.0 ha.   Experimental Farm Dr. Corridor Queensway to Experimental Farm, 76.0 ha.  Hull South, Lucerne Blvd to Gatineau Park, 275.0.(Google: 1988-09-15-TB-re-NCC.)

Driveways in the Capital, March 31, 1985. Ottawa River.  Airport.  Eastern Driveway.  Eastern Parkway.  Queen Elizabeth.  Hog's Back Road.  Rockcliffe Park.  Colonel By. (From: 1984-85 NCC Annual Report, page 32.)

Report of the Federal District Commission, 1949, page 37/79. "The park and parkway system is justly famous for its utilization of the scenic beauty of the Federal Capital Area whenever possible. The parks and driveways are and will be located along the banks of the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers,the Rideau Canal and Dow's Lake. In all, about twenty-two miles of parkways have been developed over a period of many years, and with the exception of several minor gaps, it is possible to drive along these scenic roads from the Village of Rockcliffe to the Champlain Bridges...The system comprises areas of natural beauty which were acquired by the Commission to ensure their retention and protection."

The Riverbanks.

The Central Experimental Farm. Videos that I created: 

National Interest Land Mass properties.

The NILM includes "the national shrines, the river and canal banks, the Confederation Boulevard, the Gatineau Park and the Greenbelt in the National Capital Region...Land forming part of the NIML will be retained on behalf of the government in perpetuity." (Google:1988-09-15-TB.)

The federal government has an obligation to save the Chateau Laurier Hotel from a modern addition---the Chateau is a National Historic Site of Canada; it is protected by the Ontario Heritage Act; it is adjacent to the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the NCC Mission Statement includes the following:

• to use the Capital to communicate Canada to Canadians;
• to make the Capital a meeting place for Canadians; and
• to safeguard and preserve national treasures in the Capital. (from: 1993-94 NCC Annual Report, page 9/36.)

The expansion of the Chateau Lake Louise in Alberta is a replica of the original hotel.

Chateau Lake Louise. The Glacier Wing was built between 1988-92.

 Below-a video that I created:                                

The Kingston Pen is a popular filming location.

Music videos.  "Hold Back the River" by Miss Emily; "Leave it All Behind" by the Headstones; "Small Minds by Vera Sola" by Danielle Aykroyd.

Television programs. Murdoch Mysteries; the mini-series adapted from a Margaret Atwood novel called "Alias Grace."  

Songs about the Kingston area correctional facilities: "He's 38 years old and never kissed a girl" by the Tragically Hip. (on YouTube.The song refers to Millhaven.) "Time Off for Good Behavior" by Neil Young: Lyrics: "My brother went to prison/He's in Kingston doin' time/He got seven years for sellin'/ What I've been smokin' all my life." (on YouTube.)

Unveiling of the Convict Lover plaque in Garrigan Park, Kingston--- site of the Penitentiary limestone quarry. KP prisoners built the Pen, Prison for Women, Church of the Good Thief, Rockwood Asylum, Isabel MacNeil Half-way House for Women, Portsmouth Half-way House for Men, Corrections Canada Museum, Stone Gables and the Penitentiary Water Tower. "The Prisoner's Song" by Guy Massey is performed by Hugh Christopher Brown in the YouTube video "Project Bookmark Canada: Unveiling of the Convict Lover plaque."

The Prison for Women.

Is this a joke? The Prison for Women was part of the Kingston Penitentiary National Historic Site of Canada, and a Recognized Federal Heritage Building. ( Photo is from the Kingston Whig Standard.)

A letter that I received from the Hon. Peter Milliken.

Books about the architectural history of Kingston, Ontario, Canada:

Federally-owned public gardens in Ottawa and Hull - 1950.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Rockcliffe Park - 70 acres.   Central Park (Clemow Avenue) - 16 ".   Brewer Park (End of Bronson Avenue) - 39 ".    Commissioner Park (Dow's Lake) 4 ". Green Island Park (Mouth of Rideau River) 6 ". Nepean Point and Major's Hill Park - 21 ". McDonald Park (Charlotte St.) - 7 ".    Anglesea Square (York Street) - 3 ".    Strathcona Park (Range Road) - 8 ".  St. Luke's Park (Front St.) - 1-5 ".   Minto Park (Elgin St.) - 1-5 ".  Dundonald Park (Somerset St.) - 2 ".  Plouffe Park (Preston St.) - 4 ".  McNab Park (Preston St.) - 3 ".  Reid Farm Park (Sherwood Drive) - 6 ". Ballantyne Park (Main St., Ottawa East - 7 ". Total is 193 acres. (From: The Greber Report, page 160.)

Hull, Quebec, Canada.  Fontaine Park (Papineau St.) - 4 acres.  Sainte-Marie Park (Saint-Redempteur St.) - 1-5 ".  Larocque Park (Brodeur St.) - 2 ".  St. John Park (Montcalm St.) - 2 ".  Moussette Park (Val Tetreau) - 17 ".Total: 26-5 acres. (From: The Greber Report, page 163.)

Is it a coincidence.

1.)  Private vehicles and buses will eventually be banned on Wellington Street in front of the Canadian Parliament Buildings. Wellington will be converted into a pedestrian and cycling thruway, with a tram.

  In Washington D.C. "...Two blocks of Pennsylvania Avenue in front of the White House that were long used for inaugural parades, protest marches and bus tours were permanently closed to car traffic. That space became, instead, a popular pedestrian and cycling thruway. But that has been cut off since 2019, when the federal government began constructing a taller White House fence." (From: "By the People, for the People, but not Necessarily Open to the People.." by Emily Badger, the New York Times, January 12, 2021.)

2.)  Library and Archives Canada have always been open to the public. However, 395 Wellington may be privatized:

For Washington D.C. residents "The Library of Congress has been their local library; the Capital grounds their sledding hill; the National Mall their sports field; Lafayette Park their workday lunch spot; Pennsylvania Avenue their daily commuter route." (From: "By the People, for the People, but not Necessarily Open to the People",New York Times January 12, 2021 article.)

3.) An underground visitors centre was constructed right next to the Parliament Buildings. An underground visitors centre was built near the White House.

4.)  Half a dozen foreign embassies are buying recreational land beside the Sir John A. Macdonald Parkway, Ottawa. Part of Rochester Field on 563 Richmond Road (Maplelawn) is being redeveloped. Many Washington D.C. federal parklands are off-limits.

Untouchable National Capital land and buildings. Parliament Hill, Gatineau Park, the Greenbelt, 24 Sussex Drive, 7 Rideau Gate, land beside the parkways,land beside the Rideau Canal...  (Google: 1988-09-15-tb-re-NCC.)

The 88-acre grounds of Rideau Hall, Sussex Drive, Ottawa.

Protected NCR land and waterways.   Arboretum Woods, Federal;  Aviation Parkway North, owned by the City and Federal government;    Brittania Bay, City, Federal;   Brittania Conservation Area, City, Federal;   By-Pass Woods East, Federal;   Carlington Woods, Federal, City, Private;   Central Experimental Farm Woods, Federal;   Champlain Bridge Woods, Federal;   Champlain Bridge Islands, Federal;   Chaudiere Rapids, Federal;   Del Zotto Woods, Federal;   Deschenes Lookout, Federal;   Hampton Park Woods, Federal, City;   Hog's Back Woods, Federal, Private;    Lemieux Island, Federal, City;  McCarthy Woods and Southern Corridor, Federal;   Montfort Woods, Federal, Private;    Nepean Creek Corridor, Federal, Private;   NRC Woods North, Federal;   Parliament Hill, Federal.  Pinecrest Woods, Federal.  Prince of Wales Woods, Federal, City.   RA Centre Woods, Federal.  Rideau River Islands, Federal.  Rideau River Park Woods, Federal.  Riverside Park, Federal.  Rockcliffe Park East, Federal.  Rockcliffe Park West, Federal.  Rockcliffe Shores, Federal. (Google: "urban natural features strategy, City of Ottawa" April 11, 2006.)

The Greber Report of 1950   The National Capital Region is dedicated to Canadians who were killed fighting in foreign wars. 

                                      The Plan for the National Capital 1950 by Jacques Greber.

"The Master Plan herein set forth organizes and protects a vast area of urban, rural and wooded territories." Mackenzie King. (Page 7/395.)  The Master Plan is dedicated as a National War Memorial. (Page 11.) 

The National War Memorial will encompass 900 square miles.

The Committe of the Privy Council have before them a report, dated 25th October, 1945, from the Minister of Public Works, stating:  That under the authority of Orders in Council P.C. 63/185 dated January 28,1937, and P.C. 2013 of August 17, 1938, Mr. Jacques Greber,S.F.U.,SC., S.A.D.G., City Planner and Architect of Paris, France, was engaged to make a study of Government buildings to be erected along the bank of the Ottawa River on either side of the Parliament Buildings, and also submit plans for further development of the areas adjacent to Wellington Street and Mackenzie Avenue;

That under the authority of Order in Council P.C. 5635 of August 16, 1945, an area comprising some 900 square miles, more or less, adjoining the City has been defined as the National Capital district and it has been decided to re-engage Mr. Greber to make a study of that area with a view of preparing plans for a suitable long-term development of such area as a National War Memorial. (Page 15/395.)  

Speaking agriculturally, the Capital City is and should be the logical headquarters for research for the Ottawa region...Equally, it is but logical that it should be the administrative headquarters for agricultural research, which is a Federal responsibility for all of Canada. Thus Ottawa is particularily favoured by having such institutions as the Central Experimental Farm..."(Page 39.)