Madam Speaker, I rise again to talk about Ojibway Shores, which is a 33-acre parcel of land in Windsor where we have a significant opportunity to create an urban park area that would be important, not only for our area of Windsor and Essex County but also across this country and across the globe.
A UN report came out recently, showing many endangered species and describing biodiversity as being a challenge. Ojibway Shores is an opportunity for this country to actually reverse some of this trend and contribute to positive improvements for flora, fauna and other species that require a good habitat.
Along the Detroit River is a piece of property for which the Windsor Port Authority is the custodian. I want to be clear about this. The port authority, like other port authorities across Canada, is a public entity, on public land, with public assets. Port authorities respond directly to legislation, the Canada Marine Act, in this chamber and to the Minister of Transport.
We are asking for that property of 33 acres to be transferred to Environment Canada, or even potentially to the City of Windsor. However, it should be done soon and for no additional cost.
The government is in a process right now where it is requiring Canadians to buy back a piece of their environment. What is important about this piece of property is that it was slated for development by the port authority itself. For over a decade, I and others have fought to preserve this piece of property. In the last few years, the port authority has tried to bulldoze and clear-cut the property. Thank goodness we were able to halt that.
In fact, there was going to be a public meeting, and I want to give credit to Dominic Amicone of the Amico construction company, whom I called out of desperation at the last minute. He was part of a group that had been incentivized to be part of the port authority's plan to clear-cut and smash down the heritage on this important piece of our environment. Despite having a financial interest in this, he pulled out and did not do that, and we have preserved the forest and species since.
There has been a lot of public pressure thanks to a number of good citizens, groups and organizations, of which there are too many to mention right now, and we have been able to put that in abeyance.
What is important is that this area of 33 acres along the Detroit River is connected to other types of environmentally important land. Whether it be Black Oak Heritage Park, the Tallgrass Prairie Heritage Park, Ojibway Park itself or the Spring Garden ANSI, they could create an amazing environmental corridor, in an official capacity if it happens now, that is home to many species at risk.
The port authority's boldness in this action at certain points has been unreal. The Gordie Howe International Bridge is being built next to this property. At one point the port authority wanted to take the money from the community benefit fund for itself; it wanted to lease this property back to the citizens so that this area, which has some of the highest poverty rates and challenges in Canada, would get some mild benefit for the border being there.
Therefore, we have asked the government to transfer the Ojibway Shores property to the Ministry of Environment to make it part of a national urban park. I have written the Minister of Environment on this, but she has not acted on it and has shown no interest.
The Prime Minister chastised the member for Burnaby South for not taking action or not wanting to take action. I would suggest the Prime Minister could take action quite simply on this. All we are asking for is a signature process to protect this piece of property.