Gatineau Park includes various forms of human exploitation such as farming, logging, hunting, and industrial activity. The idea of creating a park in the Gatineau Hills for recreational purposes was proposed as early as 1903. In 1938 money was allotted for the acquisition of Gatineau woodlands (for preservation) and the construction of a parkway. The Government of Canada maintains a conference centre at Meech Lake, known as Willson House, the site of meetings leading to a failed attempt to reform Canada's Constitution in 1987, the Meech Lake Accord. There are significant ongoing controversies about the administration of the park, including its status
Gatineau Park James Harkin to be the first national park outside the Rocky Mountains, it remains the only federal park that is not a national park, a situation that has direct repercussions on its ecology, boundaries, and land mass. Created in 1938, Gatineau is the only federal park not protected by the National Parks Act, largely as a result of former Prime Minister William Lyon Mackenzie King's caution, fear of criticism, and desire for privacy. Gatineau Park was not only the first national park advocated for Quebec, it was also intended as the first one outside the Rocky Mountains. As well, it