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Renfrew County Warden Janice Visneskie is calling on federal environment minister John Baird to approve the Ottawa River’s heritage designation before the project’s nomination expires.
In an April 2 letter to the minister, Warden Visneskie expresses “serious concern” that the nomination will miss a crucial May deadline in which it must be reviewed by the Canadian Heritage Rivers System if the river is to be declared a national heritage site.
“This is a Canadian project for all of Canada and it’s all about the Ottawa River’s historical significance,” the warden stated. “It is of utmost importance to residents of Renfrew County and Canadians, that this river be recognized for its contribution to Canada’s founding and development.”
The warden’s eleventh-hour lobbying comes on the heels of the Ottawa River Heritage Designation Committee’s public appeals to Mr. Baird last week to sign the nomination forms fearing there is no room for delay. Some people on the committee have felt that the project is being stonewalled because it was originally headed by former Liberal MP Len Hopkins.
Committee chairman Larry Graham reiterated Thursday this is not a partisan issue and that he wants to address the status of the nomination with Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke MP Cheryl Gallant.
“We’re really looking for clarification on where is the file and what is her position on the file,” said Mr. Graham.
There remains confusion about where the nomination documentation sits. Following a CBC Radio interview with prominent committee member Fred Blackstein, conducted on March 31, the reporter told the audience the file had been referred back to Ms. Gallant’s office.
The CBC later received a clarification from Mr. Baird’s office stating that wasn’t the case. In a statement to The Daily Observer last week, Mr. Baird’s press secretary said they were looking at concerns brought up by Ms. Gallant, but made no mention of where the file was.
Mr. Graham said the committee has made four attempts to contact Ms. Gallant over the past week. The Board of Governors for the Canadian Heritage Rivers System holds its annual general meeting in the Yukon Territory next month.
He believes the five-year effort to achieve heritage designation will die if the nomination is not forwarded.
“We still cannot understand why there would be any delay in a program that would provide positive economic benefits to all of those who live and work the length of the Ottawa River,” he said.
He welcomed the county’s timely support saying it adds the overwhelming chorus of area officials requesting the Ottawa receive the long outstanding title of “heritage river”.
“It demonstrates how important this project is,” Mr. Graham said. “We’re not the only people beating the drum.”
In the letter, Warden Visneskie noted that Mr. Baird met with a delegation headed by the committee in August, 2007. At that time, he told the delegation the nomination would be signed within 60 days.
Ms. Visneskie’s predecessor, Petawawa Mayor Bob Sweet, had successfully lobbied the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to support the designation.
She remarked the 100 volunteers who have worked diligently on this initiative are becoming “frustrated by this latest perceived barrier”.
“I urge you to make this happen before it is too late,” Warden Visneskie wrote.
Stretching 1,271 kilometres, the Ottawa is the second largest river in Eastern Canada. Other rivers that feed the Ottawa, including the French, Rideau and Mattawa, enjoy heritage designation.
Illustrating the importance of designation, Mr. Graham quoted Donald Saunders, economic development officer for St. Stephen/St. Croix, a New Brunswick town on the Maine border.
“There’s no question about it,” Mr. Graham said quoting Mr. Saunders. “Anybody who has an opportunity to have a heritage river designated in their community, should jump at it.”
For the complete test of the warden’s letter, please see page 5 in Saturday’s Observer.
schase@thedailyobserver.ca
Article ID# 981374