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What to do with 24 Sussex Drive?

  • Total voters
    26
Videodrome said:
What is wrong with tearing down the place and building a new official residence?
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Other than the fact the current house is a quite nice heritage house, situated quite nicely on a spectacular site, and there isn't really a pressing need for a new official residence? If we are going to spend a lot of money, I can think of more urgent projects.
 
I think that it would be great for the renovations to be seen on HGTV. It would be extremely interesting and I think a lot of Canadians would tune into it.
 
Nope. The residence of the PM isn't reality TV - and we got way too much of that permeating the politics (just look across the border). Some things should be treated with care and appropriate secrecy.

AoD
 
christiesplits said:

Ottawa looking to drop 24 Sussex and build new home for PM elsewhere: sources​

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I tend to agree with their conclusions. It is a very narrow lot sandwiched between the road and bluff. Although I don't know the Rockcliff Park neighbourhood all that well, it is nearby and home to a number of embassies and diplomatic residences. I also agree with the opinion that the Head of Government really shouldn't be a tenant of the Head of State.

No doubt the government will continue to dither because of the perceived optics and not wanting to give the opposition something to harp about.
 
I don't understand the paranoia - would voters really be upset by this? It's a legacy project for all future PM's, not just the current guy. Not only is this a political nothingburger, but why aren't people embarrassed by the status quo?? This is yet another example that makes Canada look like a clown.
 
I don't understand why this government can't insulate themselves from bad optics on this by:
  • delegating decision-making on preferred option and budget to an all-party committee with unanimous consent
  • promising that the current Liberal PM and their immediate successor won't live there
 
Towered said:
I don't understand the paranoia - would voters really be upset by this? It's a legacy project for all future PM's, not just the current guy. Not only is this a political nothingburger, but why aren't people embarrassed by the status quo?? This is yet another example that makes Canada look like a clown.
Click to expand...
It's just our Canadian, parsimonious way. Spending money on 'self' is not encouraged, particularly when topics such as housing, homelessness, mortgages, etc. are in the news.

The people in general don't know or don't care. If they did, they would be upset at 1950s military housing.

afransen said:
I don't understand why this government can't insulate themselves from bad optics on this by:
  • delegating decision-making on preferred option and budget to an all-party committee with unanimous consent
  • promising that the current Liberal PM and their immediate successor won't live there
Click to expand...

It's not just "this government"; the place has been falling apart for years, and it's pretty much a given that any major renovation or re-build would outlive any one term of government.

Committees of government don't have the final word under out system. Besides, I doubt the opposition parties would deprive themselves of a sniping point. Even if they did, no doubt private advocacy groups would pick up the torch and howl about politicians spending money on themselves. Sure it is a legacy project but in the day where every decision is assessed for votes, long term thinking isn't in their gamebook. Quite frankly, I'm surprised they approved the multi-year renovation of Centre Block.
 
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