The opposition has criticized the worth tag of the brand new residence and its elegant elements, however authorities officers have described the brand new residence as a superb deal
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OTTAWA — After a lot kerfuffle, Canada’s consul basic in New York, Tom Clark, will finally be testifying in a House of Commons committee as early as September concerning the $9 million luxurious apartment bought by the federal government to function his official residence.
Firstly of a gathering on Tuesday, the chair of the federal government operations committee, Conservative MP Kelly McCauley, learn a observe from International Affairs Canada (GAC) saying that Clark can be “happy to make himself accessible” both September 4 or 12.
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McCauley stated the committee would purpose to listen to from him on September 12 or work along with his workplace to discover a later date that may swimsuit him.
The transfer comes after Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett threatened to issue a summons to force Clark to appear at committee. Barrett stated that he would maintain off on the risk until the consul basic finds himself in “defiance” of the committee’s needs.
“If Mr. Clark doesn’t come on that date, then he’ll have exhausted each affordable courtesy that this committee may lengthen to him,” he stated.
McCauley stated it was his understanding Clark was speculated to be accessible to testify on Tuesday, based mostly on an e mail change between the consul basic’s employees and the committee’s clerk on Aug. 8, however GAC denies these claims and stated the preliminary invitation was by no means accepted.
GAC stated the clerk adopted up two instances — on August 14 and 21 — to confirm if Clark was accessible. In the long run, GAC stated on August 22 that Clark can be unable to attend.
The confusion didn’t finish there. McCauley stated there was “a little bit of convoluted forwards and backwards” between the clerk and GAC previous to Tuesday’s assembly. The chair was initially informed that setting one other date for Clark to testify must wait till the tip of his depart on Sept. 3.
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Nonetheless, the Nationwide Submit was informed that Clark was within the workplace on Monday when making an attempt to get extra particulars concerning the causes explaining his depart.
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On Tuesday morning, GAC reached out to the committee to supply the 2 dates in September for his look. “It’s attention-grabbing to listen to that we’ve had a change of coronary heart by Justin Trudeau’s $9 million man Tom Clark,” stated Barrett shortly after.
The committee has been learning the purchase of the new residence for Canada’s consul general in New York. The posh apartment was bought for $8.8 million in a heritage constructing hooked up to Steinway Tower, a constructing referred to as the world’s thinnest skyscraper.
The opposition has criticized the worth tag of the brand new residence and its luxurious elements, however authorities officers have described the brand new residence as a superb deal.
On Tuesday, in lieu of Clark, the committee heard from Jonathan Miller, an actual property appraiser based mostly in New York Metropolis for the previous 38 years and Thomas Aabo, an actual property agent whose agency was awarded a contract by GAC to safe the brand new residence.
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Aabo stated that his group offered 39 properties for consideration based mostly on the federal government’s parameters, which was then narrowed all the way down to 21 properties, then 4, then two, then one. He additionally described the apartment as a screaming deal.
“The residence was bought at a 40 per cent low cost in opposition to the unique asking value, 10 per cent off the final asking value, coming to a $1,750 per sq. foot after concessions. That is by far the bottom value within the constructing,” he stated.
Aabo stated the apartment was the final remaining unit within the constructing which ensured a superb negotiating place to decrease the worth. “It’s 70 per cent lower than peer buildings within the neighbourhood that promote effectively over $5,000 a sq. foot,” he added.
Miller responded to claims that the brand new apartment is positioned in an space referred to as “Billionaire’s Row” and stated it’s largely a “advertising time period.” “It’s an aspirational identify, nevertheless it doesn’t mirror nearly all of the housing inventory in that location,” he stated.
Liberal MP Pam Damoff, who’s parliamentary secretary to the minister of overseas affairs, reminded MPs that the New York consulate is chargeable for $200 billion a yr of enterprise and that its position is to host occasions that promote companies inside Canada.
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“That’s a major sum of money, and to painting this residence as merely a residence and never a residence and a place of work is deceptive,” she stated.
Aabo stated that he didn’t meet Clark or anybody from his workplace till the ultimate number of the residence had been made. He stated a number of people from the consulate, together with Clark, got here to tour the property as a “last bidding of some type” as soon as it was chosen.
“To measure the drapes!” scoffed Conservative MP Larry Brock within the committee room.
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