An Ottawa senator has proposed a law that would make it illegal to locate the Portrait Gallery of Canada in Calgary, Winnipeg, Montreal — or any other city outside the National Capital Region.

Senator Jerry Grafstein's bill, which will have its second reading in the Senate next week, would amend the Library and Archives of Canada Act, requiring the gallery to be located in Ottawa, rather than any of the other nine cities competing for the museum.

"Governments have to respond to bills. They can stall it, they can reject it, but they have to respond to it. They cannot ignore it," Grafstein said Tuesday.

He argued that the gallery displaying works from the country's portrait collection needs to be close to the special building operated by the national archives where the entire collection is stored — located in Gatineau, Que., directly across the river from Ottawa.

In addition, it should be where it can attract visitors already there to see other national collections.

'I'm an optimist about this. Sooner or later, we will have a portrait gallery in Ottawa. We will.'—Senator Jerry Grafstein

Grafstein was the first to suggest the gallery be housed in the historic former U.S. Embassy on Wellington Street, across from Parliament Hill, where it was originally slated to open in 2005.

Even though that site is no longer in the running and the federal government is holding a competition among nine cities to host the museum, Grafstein said he still has hope that the portrait gallery will end up in Ottawa.

"It's been an arduous voyage here. It has. But my heart beats eternal. I'm an optimist about this. Sooner or later, we will have a portrait gallery in Ottawa. We will."

Grafstein's bill needs the approval of both the Senate and the House of Commons in order to become law.

Meanwhile, Ottawa City Council was scheduled to vote Wednesday on a zoning change that will determine whether an Ottawa developer will bid for the portrait gallery.

Claridge Homes wants to provide space for the gallery in a proposed pair of 27-storey towers on Metcalfe Street. Many councillors have said the buildings are too high for the area.

Cities must submit proposals by mid-May

The portrait gallery was announced by the Liberal government in 2001, and was to open in 2005 in the former American embassy building at an estimated cost of $22 million.

However, the project's cost grew to $45 million and its opening was delayed until at least 2007.

After Stephen Harper's Conservative government launched a review of the project in 2006, rumours began circulating that the gallery might move to Calgary.

In November 2007, the government announced that it wanted Halifax, Quebec City, Montreal, Ottawa-Gatineau, Toronto, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver to bid for the gallery.

The cities have until May 16 to submit their proposals.

The Alberta government pledged $40 million in its budget Tuesday to support bids to bring the gallery to that province.