Give public a voice on Experimental Farm

Re: Fight for the farm, Nov. 14.

This Citizen article is extremely disturbing, not only for the leasing of Central Experimental Farm land, but more by the process to lease the land.

Even more disturbing is the “threat” of terminating the Friends of the Farm if they opposed the leasing agreement in any way. What happened to our values of freedom of speech?

In 1988, with the approval of the then deputy Minister of Agriculture, and $200 from my personal bank account, The Friends of the Central Experimental Farm was incorporated with the mandate to protect, preserve and promote the Farm’s heritage and research.

The Friends have made a major contribution to the Farm with volunteer labour in the gardens, arboretum, planting of trees and other vegetation through the donations made by the public. The directors over the years have made the Farm an icon of life in Canada: free space and a future in agriculture. With the Friends and public support, the Farm has been designated a National Historic Site. Dr. David Suzuki, on the event of the Farm’s 100th anniversary, said the Farm is the lung of the city and a research centre for Canada’s future.

The public needs a voice in this leasing decision. Peter Elliott, Ottawa, Founder, General Manager of the Friends of the Central Experimental Farm (Retired)