Envelopment Emp {coremigun de no Sndinantuctre sae Rienete Po Heat ck ac Hat age oaie ‘0 ba Sr, tee ey “ana ON HA 21 ‘Two ON 174264 pre e1638000 ‘Terenas teszsso00 Face, seasons ‘acopbur 165.578 The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq Minister of the Environment and Minister Responsible for Parks Canada House of Commons Ottawa, Ontario KIA 0A6 Minister Aglukkaq Since my previous correspondence on March 2”, 2015, | have had the opportunity to once again meet with both agricultural and environmental groups to discuss Bill C-40, An Act Respecting the Rouge National Urban Park. These meetings were both positive and productive, and | am pleased to report that | am now more confident than ever that we can reach an agreement on this matter. ur proposed amendments, attached to this letter, will be tabled with all Senators at The Standing Senate Committee on Energy, the Environment and Natural Resources on Thursday, March 12, 2015. The amendments have been drafted in consultation with both environmental and agriculture stakeholders, and | believe they strike the right balance between protecting the ecological integrity of the Rouge Park while promoting its vibrant {farming community. Furthermore, if adopted, these amendments would adequately fulfil the terms of the Memorandum of Agreement thatthe federal legislation must meet or ‘exceed provincial standards. my hope that these amendments will be adopted during the Senate's clause-by-clause review of the bill. I that is the case, I would then be in a position to continue working with your government on the transfer of these provincially controlled lands. if they are not ‘adopted, then | would maintain my position that the provincially controlled lands, which ‘make up approximately two thirds of the proposed Rouge National Urban Park, are better protected under the current provincial legislation In addition, | urge your government to dedicate additional lands to the park, including the area north of the railway tracks and east of the York-Durham line, in order to gain further ‘support of the Rouge National Urban Park among environmental stakeholders, ‘My prioity from the very beginning has been to protect the natural heritage of the park for current and future generations, which also supports ongoing farming activities. As | have stated all along, | strongly believe a reasonable consensus can be reached with the support of our two levels of government and stakeholders. Embodied in these proposed legislative amendments are definitions that truly enhance the park, while bringing all Partners to the table to reach a constructive outcome for Ontarians. 1It would be short-sighted for our two governments not to try to work together towards a solution in this matter. As the window for moving these amendments forward is vety small, |lurge you to accept my request for a meeting or phone call at your earliest convenience and | invite all Senators to suppor this positive path forward. Sincerely, RISO Brad Duguid Minister ‘The Honourable Kathleen Wynne, Premier of Ontario Giles Gherson, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure ‘The Honourable Glen Murray, Ontario Minister of the Environment and Climate Change Alan Latourelie, CEO, Parks Canada Joe Dickson, MPP, Ajax—Pickering ‘The Honourable Tracy MacCharles, MPP Pickering—Scarborough East The Honourable Helena Jaczek, MPP, Oak Ridges—Markham Bas Balkissoon, MPP, Scarborough—Rouge RiverOffice of the Hon. Brad Duguid Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure Bill C-40 Proposed Amendments Section 4: 4, Rouge National Urban Park, which is described in the schedule, is established for the purposes of protecting, restoring, enhancing and presenting, for current and future generations, the natural and cultural heritage of the Park, including a vibrant agricultural ‘community, and encouraging Canadians to discover and connect with their national protected heritage areas. 6, The minister must, in the management of the park, give priority to the protection, improvement and restoration of the health, biodiversity and sustainability of the park's ecosystems, native species and watersheds, its ecological connections between Lake Ontario and the Oak Ridges Moraine, and its cultural, agricultural and scenic values. Section 8; 8 (1) The Minister shall establish a multi-stakeholder committee and a scientific panel to advise the Minister on the management of the Park. ‘The advisory committee may include representatives from focal governments, agricutural and farming organizations, environmental organizations, Aboriginal or regional organizations and other organizations that the Minister considers appropriate. ‘The scientific advisory panel will include scientists with expertise in ecology, hydrology, agriculture, farming and parks.Bureau Du Ministre Ministre du Développement économique, de L'Emploi et de linfrastructure roposées au projet de loi C-40 Article 4. Est cr6é le parc urbain national de la Rouge, décrit a 'annexe, afin de protéger, de restaurer, d'améliorer et de mettre en valeur, pour les générations actualias et futures, le patrimoine naturel et culturel du parc, notamment les collectivités agricoles dynamiques quil abrte, et ’encourager les Canadiens a découvrir les eux patrimoniaux nationaux protégés et & développer des liens avec eux. Asti 6. Dans le cadre de la gestion du parc, le ministre accorde la priorté & la protection, & amélioration et ala restauration de la santé, de la biodiversité et de la durabilite des 4cosystémes du parc, de ses espéces indigénes et de ses basins hydrographiques, ainsi que des connexions écologiques qui le relient au lac Ontario et & la moraine d'Oak Ridges, et de ses valeurs culturelles, agricoles et esthetiques. Article 8: 8(1) Le ministre doit établi un comité mutipartte et un panel scientifique chargés de le conseiller quant a la gestion du parc. Le comité consultatif peut comprendre des représentants de callectivités locales, organisations agricoles et de producteurs de la région, d'organisations environnementales, dlorganisations autochtones ou c'organisations régionales, et de toute autre organisation que le ministre juge appropriée. Le panel consulatf scientifique doit étre composé de scientifiques spécialisés dans lécologie, hydrologie, agriculture, la production agricole et les parcs.