Gatineau Park matter would receive their minister's immediate attention, Devlin died before he could follow up on Harkin's request, and no further response was ever received. With the First World War intervening shortly thereafter, the government of Canada had to tend to more pressing matters. On April 7, 1927, the idea of creating a Gatineau national park was again raised in the House of Commons, where MPs considered a bill to create the Federal District Commission, which would build parks and parkways on both sides of the Ottawa River. During debate, however, Conservative MP John Edwards accused Prime Minister King of wanting
Lake Maria State Park park emphasized conservation over recreation, and so hike-in campsites were made in lieu of a drive-in campground. The park was expanded to the north and west in 1980 to include the whole shoreline of Maria Lake. Incidentally the lake originally called Maria Lake was renamed Bjorkland Lake by the DNR, and "Maria Lake" became an arm of Silver Lake, which lies mostly outside the park's western boundary. Lake Maria State Park does not have a traditional drive-in campground. Instead 17 backpacking sites and three camper cabins are scattered throughout the park, only accessible by a hike of . Two primitive