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Canada and the World

Every serious country has their Head of Government camping in the Head of State's cottage while the HoG official residence is falling apart with dead rodents in the wall. This is surely how all the G7 countries do it.


This an ongoing embarrassment that many successive governments - of various colours - have been guilty of.

Just because it is a pitch doesn't mean the batter will swing, or even notice.
 
This an ongoing embarrassment that many successive governments - of various colours - have been guilty of.

An example of why I say we're not a serious country. Fear, driven by partisanship, is so high, that we will literally allow the places our leaders stay fall apart. It's ridiculous.

Just because it is a pitch doesn't mean the batter will swing, or even notice.

Yep. But it's a good test to see how much rhetoric matches resources. The number seems huge. But $60-100B over 25-30 years is less than 1% of the current federal budget.
 
Yep. But it's a good test to see how much rhetoric matches resources. The number seems huge. But $60-100B over 25-30 years is less than 1% of the current federal budget.
The problem is, within our system, defence spending is treated as discretionary. The current government could say 'sure, go nuts', knowing full well that they will never have to pay the bills. Even the millions that would be spent in development work, only to be curtailed, never seems to deter governments from deciding that 'Canadians have determined there are other priorities'.
 
Every serious country has their Head of Government camping in the Head of State's cottage while the HoG official residence is falling apart with dead rodents in the wall. This is surely how all the G7 countries do it.

I thought the reason why Trudeau moved to Rideau Cottage and promised to never live in 24 Sussex was to give cover to fund the needed maintenance to the latter without opening himself to accusations he is building himself a palace.
 
I thought the reason why Trudeau moved to Rideau Cottage and promised to never live in 24 Sussex was to give cover to fund the needed maintenance to the latter without opening himself to accusations he is building himself a palace.
That could have been the public line, I really don't recall. My uneducated guess was he remembered what the place was like when he was growing up there.

To say that it is solely up to the NCC strikes me as bit disingenuous and implies that it is their fault for a prominent public asset to fall into disrepair. I doubt they or PWC has the mandate to decide to tear it down or spend x millions to renovate it. The PMO will have its tentacles into this and no opposition will push them on it because it is kryptonite. If it was a combination of residence and executive space, like just about every other country, it might be easier
 
I mean, I thought moving to Rideau Cottage went hand-in-hand with funding the needing repairs through the NCC, but to cover him from accusations of featherbedding.
 
An example of why I say we're not a serious country. Fear, driven by partisanship, is so high, that we will literally allow the places our leaders stay fall apart. It's ridiculous.
Yep. But it's a good test to see how much rhetoric matches resources. The number seems huge. But $60-100B over 25-30 years is less than 1% of the current federal budget.

The best part of that saga is that we probably don't even end up saving any money by allowing a property to fall into disrepair. The appearance of saving money is more important than actually saving money and providing literally the PM of the country a secure location to live and work. This is symptomatic of a citzenry that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

AoD
 
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The best part of that saga is that we probably don't even end up saving any money by allowing a property to fall into disrepair. The appearance of saving money is more important than actually saving money and providing literally the PM of the country a secure location to live and work. This is symptomatic of a country that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

AoD
This is the same country that spilled ink for weeks on a $20 glass of orange juice.
 
The best part of that saga is that we probably don't even end up saving any money by allowing a property to fall into disrepair. The appearance of saving money is more important than actually saving money and providing literally the PM of the country a secure location to live and work.

AoD

This government came in, with MPs and Ministers talking about "Deliverology". But they've adopted indecisiveness as doctrine since "Sunny Ways" faded. And it's across political issues. They cannot make a decision where even the slightest amount of political capital is at risk. So they go on until things are absolutely falling apart and they are forced into it. Whether it's fighter jets for the RCAF, the residence for the PM, or a rail project (HFR).
 
This is the same country that spilled ink for weeks on a $20 glass of orange juice.

And then that party got elected and went on to book the PM and the entire entourage in a hotel so renowned for luxury, that the BBC made a documentary about them.

 
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The best part of that saga is that we probably don't even end up saving any money by allowing a property to fall into disrepair. The appearance of saving money is more important than actually saving money and providing literally the PM of the country a secure location to live and work. This is symptomatic of a citzenry that knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.

AoD
But no party in power really cares what happened before it (except to assign blame) or happens after it. 'I'm spending/ not spending money now because it is the right thing to do'.

I maintain that the issue of "live and work" is a factor that complicates it. The building at 24 Sussex is purely a residence (with a relatively small banquet capacity). The PMO and Executive offices are downtown in the (former) Langevin Block across Wellington from Parliament Hill. I assume there is also some space in the Centre Block. This is in contrast to buildings such as The White House and 10 Downing which are only partially residential.
 
I maintain that the issue of "live and work" is a factor that complicates it. The building at 24 Sussex is purely a residence (with a relatively small banquet capacity). The PMO and Executive offices are downtown in the (former) Langevin Block across Wellington from Parliament Hill. I assume there is also some space in the Centre Block. This is in contrast to buildings such as The White House and 10 Downing which are only partially residential.

That's a borderline pathological distinction - considering the expectation of PM being a 24/7 position.

AoD
 
That's a borderline pathological distinction - considering the expectation of PM being a 24/7 position.

AoD
I could be all wet, but if the building was also the workplace of PMO and PCO staffers, particularly any that are unionized, I am fairly confident the building wouldn't be in such bad of condition. When it is just a residence, the only impacted people are family and a handful of household staff and cops (who might not even work out of the inside of the building).
 

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