This is the crux of the problem. No Prime Minister wants to deal with the political fallout of spending millions on what would be easy to spin as a home renovation for themselves. The article...
Prime ministers are very skittish about the appearance of buying a big house for themselves at taxpayers' expense.
This is the crux of the problem. No Prime Minister wants to deal with the political fallout of spending millions on what would be easy to spin as a home renovation for themselves.
The article mentions that at this point, any sort of project wouldn't be completed until Trudeau has likely left office, but a lot of media outlets wouldn't spin the story that way. Housing affordability is a huge topic here these days and the Liberals already have a bad enough reputation for being out of touch with the average Canadian's financial struggles. Introducing a plan to move or renovate the PM's residence, no matter how necessary it is, would be like handing the other parties a loaded gun before the next election.
How do other countries budget for the security and upkeep of their leaders' residences? Canada can't be the only country that has had to modernize a residence to better protect a leader from potential harm.
It’s really easy if you are willing to ignore making it look like a mansion. If the point is security military bases are great at that and hell they can even host events and foreign dignitaries....
It’s really easy if you are willing to ignore making it look like a mansion.
If the point is security military bases are great at that and hell they can even host events and foreign dignitaries. There very utilitarian though.
I get on some level such a building should be a representation of culture and history as well, but I think there are clever solutions to this that we’ll never see considered
I can imagine no PM wants to touch this issue - especially with Canada being in a housing crisis. I was pleased however, to hear Polievre say that a new house for the PM should be modest. Maybe...
I can imagine no PM wants to touch this issue - especially with Canada being in a housing crisis.
I was pleased however, to hear Polievre say that a new house for the PM should be modest. Maybe Parliament could decide that should one be built that the current or next PM can't live in it (it will likely take a decade to build anyway), so its not seen as self benefiting?
Lastly, I found it interesting that CBC called Michael Wernick for his opinion on this, and that he was first identified as an 'former advisor' to the PM and then later identified by name. Supposedly this is the guy who was "fired" by the PM after the Wilson Raybould arm twisting scandal but then apparently he slithered back into the fold and has been seen hiding in the background near the PM again. So much for accountability.
What does modest mean though, in the context of a building that houses the leader of a large nation that frequently needs to be able to host a large number of staff and foreign dignitaries? Is...
What does modest mean though, in the context of a building that houses the leader of a large nation that frequently needs to be able to host a large number of staff and foreign dignitaries? Is there any reason to suspect that the current building, for instance, is excessively extravagant? According to the article, it’s in fact too small to serve its purpose.
Did Poilievre have anything of substance to say there, or is he just talking for the sake of talking and being mentioned? TBH, that’s my take on most of what he says.
Oh, don’t worry — he had lots of firebrand bullshit too: https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/politics/2023/8/29/1_6539591.amp.html Talking about how Trudeau is so busy building mansions for himself...
Oh, don’t worry — he had lots of firebrand bullshit too:
Talking about how Trudeau is so busy building mansions for himself that he forgot to build homes for hard working Canadians, and rambling about how Trudeau is building lakefront mansions for himself.
But to your point, I do wish he would simply say nothing if he doesn’t have something meaningful and well considered to say.
According to Wernick, there are numerous venues available in Ottawa for hosting dignitaries and the PM's house would not have that for a main function. It would only be used for receiving...
According to Wernick, there are numerous venues available in Ottawa for hosting dignitaries and the PM's house would not have that for a main function. It would only be used for receiving dignitaries similar to any of the ambassador's homes in Ottawa.
Looking at the changes needed for security (metal plating on the roof to guard against drone attacks - yikes) I think the PM's house is not now or ever going to be anything like the White House. Its only going to be the family residence and unlike in the 1800's when the 24 Sussex drive was built, safety and security is going to be much more important than having a grandiose residence for hosting large gatherings.
And I'll throw it in because the polling is bearing this out - but Polievre is going to be our next PM. Trudeau's ship has sailed, his numbers keep sinking, and the NDP are not likely to form government - and in true Canadian fashion we vacillate between the Liberals and the Conservatives forming government.
This is the crux of the problem. No Prime Minister wants to deal with the political fallout of spending millions on what would be easy to spin as a home renovation for themselves.
The article mentions that at this point, any sort of project wouldn't be completed until Trudeau has likely left office, but a lot of media outlets wouldn't spin the story that way. Housing affordability is a huge topic here these days and the Liberals already have a bad enough reputation for being out of touch with the average Canadian's financial struggles. Introducing a plan to move or renovate the PM's residence, no matter how necessary it is, would be like handing the other parties a loaded gun before the next election.
How do other countries budget for the security and upkeep of their leaders' residences? Canada can't be the only country that has had to modernize a residence to better protect a leader from potential harm.
It’s really easy if you are willing to ignore making it look like a mansion.
If the point is security military bases are great at that and hell they can even host events and foreign dignitaries. There very utilitarian though.
I get on some level such a building should be a representation of culture and history as well, but I think there are clever solutions to this that we’ll never see considered
I can imagine no PM wants to touch this issue - especially with Canada being in a housing crisis.
I was pleased however, to hear Polievre say that a new house for the PM should be modest. Maybe Parliament could decide that should one be built that the current or next PM can't live in it (it will likely take a decade to build anyway), so its not seen as self benefiting?
Lastly, I found it interesting that CBC called Michael Wernick for his opinion on this, and that he was first identified as an 'former advisor' to the PM and then later identified by name. Supposedly this is the guy who was "fired" by the PM after the Wilson Raybould arm twisting scandal but then apparently he slithered back into the fold and has been seen hiding in the background near the PM again. So much for accountability.
What does modest mean though, in the context of a building that houses the leader of a large nation that frequently needs to be able to host a large number of staff and foreign dignitaries? Is there any reason to suspect that the current building, for instance, is excessively extravagant? According to the article, it’s in fact too small to serve its purpose.
Did Poilievre have anything of substance to say there, or is he just talking for the sake of talking and being mentioned? TBH, that’s my take on most of what he says.
Oh, don’t worry — he had lots of firebrand bullshit too:
https://beta.ctvnews.ca/national/politics/2023/8/29/1_6539591.amp.html
Talking about how Trudeau is so busy building mansions for himself that he forgot to build homes for hard working Canadians, and rambling about how Trudeau is building lakefront mansions for himself.
But to your point, I do wish he would simply say nothing if he doesn’t have something meaningful and well considered to say.
According to Wernick, there are numerous venues available in Ottawa for hosting dignitaries and the PM's house would not have that for a main function. It would only be used for receiving dignitaries similar to any of the ambassador's homes in Ottawa.
Looking at the changes needed for security (metal plating on the roof to guard against drone attacks - yikes) I think the PM's house is not now or ever going to be anything like the White House. Its only going to be the family residence and unlike in the 1800's when the 24 Sussex drive was built, safety and security is going to be much more important than having a grandiose residence for hosting large gatherings.
And I'll throw it in because the polling is bearing this out - but Polievre is going to be our next PM. Trudeau's ship has sailed, his numbers keep sinking, and the NDP are not likely to form government - and in true Canadian fashion we vacillate between the Liberals and the Conservatives forming government.