April 19, 2025
Federal ARP Candidates Speak to Gillies Grove
MP hopefuls share their positions on development and conservation
Another election is upon us, and advance voting is already underway.
But before you cast your ballot, take a moment to find out where the Algonquin–Renfrew–Pembroke candidates stand on the fight to protect Gillies Grove.
Earlier this month, we sent a questionnaire to all seven candidates running to be our next MP, asking:
Are you aware of our grassroots efforts, and what is your position on the matter?
If elected, what would you do to ensure significant natural areas are protected from inappropriate development?
As a non-partisan organization made up of voters from all political backgrounds, Save The Grove Again will never endorse any candidate. Our goal is simply to inform voters about where candidates stand on the proposed development adjacent to Gillies Grove.
Candidates’ answers are presented in the order received.
Yes indeed, I am now more aware of the Save The Grove Again organization thanks to my friends, their supporters, and their efforts to protect the Gillies Grove and its woodland. As a firm believer in protecting the environment and my concerns about climate change, I indeed, without hesitation and a shadow of doubt, do support the initiative and efforts of Save The Grove Again to protect and preserve the green space and this treasured land of the community. This green space not only serves as a healing corner for members of the community but is also a habitat for wildlife.
If elected, as a Member of the Parliament and another concerned member of the community, I commit to amplifying your voices to the parliament and making sure that Save The Grove Again is well known at the parliament level and Canada-wide. I commit to bringing these concerns and efforts to the House of Commons and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change at the federal, provincial, and municipal governments, if needed, to review the regulations and make changes necessary to protect the environment and pressure developers to eliminate development and respect the green space and environment-protected lands.
The people of Arnprior, Ontario, and Canada have a right to a healthy natural environment for the benefit of present and future generations as it is clearly stated on the Statement of Environmental Values which protect, conserve and where reasonable, restore the integrity of the environment, provide sustainability of the environment by the means provided in the Act; and to protect the right to a healthful environment by the means provided in the Act.
Thank you for taking my input into consideration. Make note that I am not a career politician, and I do not intend to be one. I do not hold a PhD education either; however, I am just an ordinary and simple concerned citizen who has direct involvement with the diverse communities and listens to, understands well the needs, struggles, concerns, and hopes of the community.
When I was door-knocking in Arnprior I had seen various houses with Save The Grove Again signs on display. I did not understand the campaign at the time, but I have now studied the STGA website and consulted a handful of Ottawa Valley citizens for their opinions. At this time, however, my policy comments will remain limited. For legislators to intervene on issues pertaining to the private sale of land, there arguably must be a case that there is a market externality whereby members of the public are unduly affected in their quality of life by developments in which they are at risk of having no input. At the same time, it is reasonable for the public to informally judge private market transactions for which information thereof was obtained through reasonable means, including transactions and developments that have not yet been completed.
There is a relevant example in my mind of a local development implicating the environment where there has been potential failure of regulatory oversight: the planned building of Canadian Nuclear Laboratories' Near-Surface Disposal Facility in Chalk River, approved by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission. (There are ongoing legal challenges against the approval of this would-be nuclear waste mound.) The Chiefs of Kebaowek and Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nations opposed the NSDF on the argument that there was inadequate consultation of affected Indigenous peoples.
While I am cognizant of the issues presented by empowering the "Not in my backyard" voices in regulatory decisions, it would be arguably better here for affected Indigenous groups to possess a veto on such long-term environmentally-risky projects such as the NSDF. Such a veto would exist with the expectation that developers will be obliged to persuade or compensate affected stakeholders accordingly, as opposed to regulatory decisions being made that may privilege certain stakeholders over other stakeholders. I will conclude with the opinion that environmental regulatory processes should generally be predictable to the point that project investors can reasonably anticipate most potential objections and concerns and budget accordingly, wth the process still having room to be responsive to new information and on-the-ground facts.
I am aware of the efforts of Save The Grove Again, first finding out about the initiative at the start of March. The way I found out about it is mostly through the lawn signs that are scattered throughout Arnprior. As someone who spent a lot of my childhood and adolescence at both Walter Zadow and Arnprior High schools, I spent a lot of time in the Grove. This included sporting activities such as cross country, as well as educational activities that enhanced both my learning opportunities and my social development. I believe that using this land as typical suburban housing development without careful examination of other sustainable options would have negative impacts on our community... not just a negative impact on the environment, but also taking away opportunities from our children that I was so lucky to experience myself. I hope the municipal government can work alongside this group of concerned citizens to reach a solution that addresses the environmental and safety concerns that this development would bring, while also increasing housing development within the town as a whole.
If elected, I would make sure to encourage local citizen input, especially in a heritage spot like the Grove. I would encourage both federal and provincial governments to look to eliminate bureaucratic 'red tape' without taking away the voices from Canadian citizens. It does not have to be a question of removing bureaucratic 'red tape' OR listening to concerned citizens, I believe you can do both simultaneously and that's what we should expect from our governing bodies.
We’d like to extend our sincere appreciation to all three respondents for taking the time to answer our questions and for considering the importance of preserving Gillies Grove and other vital natural spaces in our community.
We wish everyone a positive and fruitful campaign.
How our leaders—whether at the federal, provincial, or municipal level—balance public interest and development in ecologically sensitive areas has never been more important.
Now, it’s your turn. Get out there and vote.
Together we can find a better way!
Together, we can make a difference.