The Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve was regulated by the government of Ontario in 1977, and protects and perpetuates tallgrass prairie and various plants and significant species. Thanks to the foresight of our predecessors in this House, these provincial lands are protected to the highest possible degree.

This government supports considering an integration of the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve with adjacent lands under the management of Parks Canada, to facilitate the creation of Ojibway National Urban Park. This was a commitment made by our government as part of its endorsement of Platform 4 Windsor, put forward by Windsor’s mayor, Drew Dilkens.

I bring forward to this House today a new motion that is nearly identical to motion number 1, presented by the member for Windsor West, and which is scheduled for debate in this House shortly. This newly tabled motion provides a clear path forward to gain the support of this House for the Ojibway Prairie Provincial Nature Reserve becoming managed by Parks Canada, as part of the Ojibway National Urban Park area, as described by Bill C-248.

Our government looks forward to Parks Canada initiating the proposed committee for the project, which includes partners such as the city of Windsor, the government of Ontario, the Caldwell First Nation, the Walpole First Nation, the Huron-Wendat Nation and Hydro One. I’m proud that our government supports working together to create Ojibway National Urban Park, and I ask all members of this house for their support in getting it done.