A number of community leaders were in Ottawa on Thursday, testifying on Windsor West MP Brian Masse's Bill C-248 at the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources.
Masse introduced the private members' bill to create the Ojibway National Urban Park, and it passed second reading in the Senate last month.
Under bill C-248, the Urban Park would be created under the Canada National Parks' Act with full protection provided under federal law and the highest level of commitment from Parks Canada.
The proposed Ojibway National Urban Park would be over 900 acres and include Ojibway Shores, Ojibway Park, Spring Garden Natural Area, Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Park and the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve.
Among those in Ottawa Thursday were Windsor Mayor Drew Dilkens, Caldwell First Nations' Chief Mary Duckworth, Friends of Ojibway's Interim President Mike Fisher, Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Andrew Dowie, and the University of Windsor's Urban Parks Hub's Anneke Smit.
The Senate will continue hearing from witnesses on Bill C-248 and could propose amendments on the geographical coordinates and coming into force after the bill passes.
In a statement, Masse said all of the witnesses were fantastic and emphasized the need to protect these Ojibway lands for the long-term through legislation.
"As Mayor Dilkens stated today, it's absolutely vital that we get this legislation through the finish line and build from there," Masse added.
Speaking on AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides, Dilkens says he got the sense that the senators all want to see this happen but they're trying to find the simplest path to make it happen.
"I think some of them were concerned about the amount of amendments that may be required to have Brian Masse's private members bill moved across the finish line. Where I think others were exploring the Parks Canada route, and saying well listen we're hearing from a lot of the delegates today that they don't think Parks Canada is being perhaps as responsive in negotiating a solution," he said.
Dilkens gave an overview of what he told the senators on the hill as well.
"Brian Masse's private members bill was the catalyst to get the federal government to transfer Ojibway Shores into the soon to be National Urban Park. But for that I think we'd still be swimming upstream trying to help them figure out a way. So it's had a major impact, even if it goes nowhere from here, it's already had a major impact."
Dilkens says they'll let the process play out, but he'd personally be more comfortable seeing the park enshrined in legislation because that's the high water mark.
"Once it's there it's very difficult to get rid of. And so we would all have a level of comfort when we put our heads on the pillow at night that this is a National Urban Park enshrined in law. It doesn't mean it can't happen the other way, but there is more risk if there is a change in government, a change in priorities, a reprioritization of money and a change in focus," he said.
If there are amendments made in the Senate, Masse says these would both be considered non-controversial and would need to go back to Parliament for a final vote.
However, this would then allow the Minister of Environment and Governor in Council to make any final changes necessary to the bill to ensure that it is absolutely meeting the needs of the community before the park opens.
- with files from AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides