The Experimental Farms will never be moved or encroached upon.

House of Commons Ottawa June 1, 1951. Winfred Chester Scott McLure (Progressive Conservative): "...I want to say that the experimental farm is one of the finest beauty spots in this beautiful city of Ottawa. It is a place where visitors and tourists should be taken because nowhere in America will you find another to surpass it."

 House of Commons Ottawa July 13, 1956. James Garfield Gardiner (Minister of Agriculture) Liberal: Mr. Gardiner: "There is a discussion about moving part of all of the experimental farm out every time they want to build a new public building in Ottawa. Somebody comes down here and says "We would like to build it on the experimental farm..." We get those suggestions all the time. Discussion comes up every time somebody has a notion of that kind. The government has always taken the position that there is going to be no moving of the experimental farm."

House of Commons Ottawa June 16, 1958. Hon. George James McIlraith (Ottawa West) Liberal: "Mr. Chairman, I wonder if the Minister is now prepared to make the statement he said he would make concerning the policy of the government with respect to building on the central experimental farm."

The Hon. Charles Howard Green: "The policy is that no buildings will be built on the central experimental farm except buildings for the Department of Agriculture."

The Hon. Mr. Mcilraith: "If I may pursue the question a bit further, has the minister come to any conclusion as to what will be done with the land on the experimental farm now occupied by the temporary buildings when they are torn down?"

The Hon. Mr. Green: "I take it that the hon. member for Ottawa West refers to temporary buildings No. 5 and 8. For some years the policy has been that when these temporary buildings are torn down nothing will be constructed on the site."

The location ofTemporary Building No. 8 is now Queen Juliana Park. Temporary Building No. 5 was on the Dow's Lake parking lot.

House of Commons Ottawa August 1, 1958. Hazen Robert Argue (Co-operative Commonwealth Federation-CCF): Mr. Argue: "Mr. Chairman, on item No. 11, the experimental farms services including the central experimental farm, I wonder if the minister could tell the house whether in regard to the central experimental farm it is the policy of his government to maintain that farm in its present location for futher scientific research, and whether there is anything to the rumour that one hears from time to time that because of extensive city development and increasing property values some other use may be made of part of the property now occupied by this farm."

"I would express the hope that the central experimental farm may be kept in its present form and in its present location. I think it is doing tremendous work and is, amongst other things, a most valuable tourist attraction in the capital city. I think it would be in keeping with the view of the Canadian people as well as the people of Ottawa that the central experimental farm be maintained in its present locaton."

Douglas Scott Harkness (Minister of Agriculture) Progressive Conservative: Mr. Harkness: "I am very glad to tell the hon. member for Assiniboia that the central experimental farm is going to be not only retained but expanded. The plans we have, of which there has been some indication in the press, are that the present experimental farm will be used entirely for plant breeding and plant research activities. The animal husbandry branch ...will be established at a new farm which will of course still be part of the central experimental farm, a few miles south and west of the present property in what will be the greenbelt surrounding Ottawa.We expect to secure from the federal district commission something in the neighbourhood of 4,000 acres of land in the greenbelt."

The 4,500 acre Greenbelt Research Farm during the mid-1960's. As I have mentioned before, the land is untouchable because it is a National Interest Land Mass (the Mulroney government, 1988) and part of the National Capital Commission Greenbelt. (Prime Minister Mackenzie King and Jacques Greber, 1949-1950.)

The 1958 Privy Council Order-in-Council giving Agriculture Canada 4,500 acres of Greenbelt land for an annex. 

House of Commons Ottawa October 7, 1974. Walter David Baker (Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition; Progressive Conservative Party Deputy House Leader) Progressive Conservative. Mr. Walter Baker (Grenville-Carleton): "Mr. Speaker, in view of the statement yesterday by the Minister of State for Urban Affairs about trade-offs in respect of greenspaces in Canadian cities, will he inform the House how this trade-off will affect specifically the experimental farm in the city of Ottawa and the greenbelt surrounding it, and indicate whether the government is now actively planning to intrude development into these areas?"

Hon. Barnett Jerome Danson (Minister of State for Urban Affairs) Liberal: Mr. Barnett J. Danson: "Mr. Speaker, I was just speaking about the general picture in Canada, trying to make people aware of the necessary considerations we have in attempting to deal with growth in our cities. Certainly the city of Ottawa in particular has to be treated with special sensitivity. There will be further discussions on this subject before the special joint committee of the House and Senate announced in the Speech from the Throne, and in respect of other reports which are forthcoming. This will give us ample opportunity to deal with the member's concern, which I share."

House of Commons Ottawa November 4, 1974. Walter David Baker (Deputy House Leader of the Official Opposition; Progressive Conservative Party Deputy House Leader) Progressive Conservative. Mr. Walter Baker (Grenville-Carleton): "Mr. Speaker, on October 7 I directed a question to the Minister of State for Urban Affairs (Mr. Danson) regarding a theory he advanced in the course of 'Question Period', that the government certainly would have to consider a trade-off in respect of green spaces in Canadian cities."

"At that time this indicated that the minister was at least considering the intrusion of development into green spaces. Subsequently the minister, in the course of his answer, indicated that at least in so far as the two places I had mentioned in the National Capital Area, namely the Experimental Farm and the Ottawa green belt, he regarded these as areas of special sensitivity, and shared my view and the view of many other members of the House in respect of the necessity to preserve them."

"I want to say that where we are dealing with the National Capital Area, which is certainly an area of special sensitivity, or with any other urban area in this country, we must regard, and government policy must look at green space in urban areas as a very precious commodity. It is becoming more precious each day as there is a tendency in our society, and in the planning of our society, to pack more and more people onto fewer and fewer acres of land. Municipal development is becoming vertical rather than horizontal. Indeed, we must consider the impact that this type of development will have on open space, and particularly agricultural land. The green belt and the Experimental Farm are precious for the reasons I have mentioned."

"There really is no open or green space available to those who live in high-rise housing, row housing, in condominiums or in densely populated areas. That green and open space which normally is provided by one's backyard, or by the neighbourhood park, must be provided on those urban areas by areas such as the Experimental Farm and green belt.

House of Commons Ottawa May 13, 1988. Mr. David Bruce Daubney (Ottawa West) Progressive Conservative: "Mr. Speaker my question is directed to the Minister of Agriculture. He will agree that the Central Experimental Farm partly located in my riding is the flagship of Agriculture Canada's excellent research effort and contributes greatly to the unique beauty and character of the nation's capital. Will he confirm for the House that the Government has no intention of disposing of any part of the Experimental Farm proper, and in particular that part bordered by Merivale and Fisher Avenues in the city of Ottawa?"

The Hon. John Wise (Minister of Agriculture) Progressive Conservative: "Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the Hon. Member's continuing interest in the future of the Experimental Farm here in Ottawa. I want to take this opportunity to indicate to him that Agriculture Canada, my Department, has no plans or thoughts whatsoever concerning disposing of any portion of that property at any time. There is no question about that....In fact, next to the Parliament Buildings the Experimental Farm is the second most popular tourist attraction here in Ottawa."

Some Hon. Members: "Hear, hear!"