LETTER

LETTRE

-----   Are West Quebec's Liberals useless?

 

The November 23rd throne speech confirmed that all four West Quebec Liberal MPs are featherweights when it comes to keeping their promise to protect Gatineau Park. Even Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel’s green plan veers from her commitment on the park.
    On August 29, campaigning, candidate Chatel announced the creation of a “common front” of West Quebec Liberals on the issue. Ms. Chatel expressed her “strong commitment to protecting Gatineau Park,” with “the united support of my Liberal colleagues from the Outaouais to preserve, for all time, the natural beauty of its lakes, streams and mountains.”
    Great news: “strong” and “united,” all West Quebec Liberal MPs were getting in action; “We will request changes to the National Capital Act,” said Chatel, “that will strengthen protection of the park while strengthening the role of the National Capital Commission...”
    But when the time came, not a word about their park commitment in the throne speech—which confirms the government couldn’t care less about the issue, and that Ms. Chatel’s words were hot air. Something as important as amending the National Capital Act would have been mentioned in a throne speech.
    Ms. Chatel completely ignored the issue in her November 23rd maiden speech in the Commons—normally, the MP should have used the occasion to reiterate what she described as a “solid” commitment.
    But there’s more. Ms Chatel's “green” plan confirms that she has surrendered to special interests: rather than park legislation, she’s now repeating the false narrative of park residents and the NCC — that citizens are the undesirable intruders who are doing the most harm to the park.  
    Three strikes against the Liberals as another park promise dies, like Greg Fergus in 2015, saying park protection would be among his top priorities.
Jean-Paul Murray, Gatineau Park Protection Committee
Chelsea