I completely agree but I would add in a swipe at the press. If they weren’t more than happy to report breathlessly and with feigned outrage about legitimate expenditures on things like appropriate accommodation for our PM, we’d be a lot further ahead.
And I will add that the influence of the US media and politics in terms of pushing the idea that all government spending is bad and wasteful combined with the number of US corporations who see as an outpost in the hinterland to be used for resources (and don’t want to pay taxes) plays a part in this too.
I’m hopeful that our growing relationship with Europe especially the Nordic countries reminds us the social democracy is what gives Canadian citizens the things we value most (healthcare and a safety net). We need to shake off the false narrative of success based in the selfish individualism of the US and remember what true success looks like both as individuals and as a nation.
It’s all part of the same influence. We deserve to be proud of our nation and its history.
This perfectly encapsulates the Canadian psyche. I see this daily in both the public and private sectors. The inability to commit to the tools and investments needed to get the outcomes we want.
I checked the National Capital Commission’s asset report. Fixing 24 Sussex Drive needs $36.6 million for critical deferred maintenance. That’s pocket change next to the $487 billion federal spending plan this year. Yet politicians and the public keep dodging it for optics. No wonder bigger priorities keep getting nickel-and-dimed too. See the NCC details here: https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/the-condition-of-canadas-official-residences.
Can’t believe we’re still carping on about our Prime Minister’s residence. This debate has been going on for years. We just sound mean and parochial. Fix the goddamn house and be done with it.
It was a shock to pass by 24 Sussex on the Ottawa River in 2014 and see air conditioners sticking out of the windows in an age when McMansions in the 'burbs have central air. I didn't know about the asbestos and rats. The Mike Duffy affair was an exercise in Canadian small town cheap. So was "$18 orange juice" purchased in a hotel in downtown London. Congratulations on the new job. Doug Pepper's a decent guy and it's not a Murdoch company.
That example came to mind to me too while reading this whole piece. I'm sure you were just going on memory, but it was actually $16 OJ in Feb12, which would be $21.90 today.
I remember thinking it was an outrageous amount back then, but I've also spent what I consider to be outrageous amounts for a hotel room in the last few years, and once you're there and need your daily OJ in the morning, there's not much else you can do buy bite the bullet and pay through the nose for your fix (to mix a whole lot of metaphors ...).
Prices in downtown London bear no resemblance to the normal world. The most grating thing was that there were far better reasons to criticise that minister, ones that involved policies and the poor quality of her administrative work.
Parsimony is the national badge of honour. We are afraid to spend on infrastructure and then when we do we lack procurement expertise and experience then end up with boondoggles. I have blogged about this myself here on Substack. No PM wants to touch the residence issue because it would look like they are benefiting personally. So the NCC should just announce it is making a decision and proceeding completely independently of the current PM. Get ‘er done.
Like Simon below, I'll point out that it's not just the attitudes of politicians and ordinary people that has led to this. The media has turned itself from a fourth (and fifth) estate supposedly meant to hold the others to account into just another business trying to maximize profits, and doing so by manufacturing outrage rather than reporting the news, analyzing and commenting on it. One could argue that it has merely followed the example of opposition parties, but that's not much of an excuse.
The other point I'll make is about relative affluence, fairness, the tax system and government profligacy in general. I know you may get tired of hearing me harp on taxes, but I suggest it's a lot easier to expect parsimony from politicians when you have yours thrust upon you by their bad decisions, and a crappy tax system is the part that underpins the rest of it.
We'd be a lot less likely to complain if there weren't such a discrepancy between how the other half lives, and if that discrepancy wasn't so much due to some people getting a free ride on the backs of others. Politicians spend (i.e. waste) a lot of money to ensure people continue to vote them their cushy jobs. And a bit part of that "spend" is in the tax system, which is something whose effects we all feel on a weekly basis (or insert your own payroll cycle length).
I'm embarrassed by the state of 24 Sussex too. But not really any more than I'm embarrassed by the state of our entire political community.
Successive governments (Liberal and Conservative) have avoided being the one that spent millions on a residence for the PM that is both fitting for entertaining and modernized for security purposes.
Just before Justin Trudeau left office he wrote to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement requesting that a proposal be developed exploring options for a new official residence by January 2026. The days when you could use a former PM to help justify a major expenditure like this are long gone as these days what constitutes a political scandal has a pretty low bar (unless your Donald Trump or Pierre Poilievre - both right of centre politicians).
As many Canadians are struggling with housing and other costs, there is not a snowball's chance in hell that Prime Minister Mark Carney is going to be the one making that call.
Ugh it’s such a sad little disease. Remember when they were kvetching about the cost of the GG’s flights on state visits? She’s effectively our head of state, what did you want her to do, fly coach?
A serious country makes allowances for majesty. In this matter we are not a serious country
I remember when I first started working on Parliament Hill way back in 2007 (where I worked until 2019). The MP’s office I worked in was in the West Block. Stephen Harper was PM. My first day on the job, I walked in through the main entrance, passed through security and was immediately pounded by the strong stench of urine. The urinals in the washroom closest to the entrance had been backed up for weeks, apparently (I found this out later). They remained backed up for the entire year I worked in the building. As an American who had moved to Canada a few years prior, one who had earlier spent 7 years living in Capitol Hill In Washington, D.C., I simply could not believe that a member of the G7 would allow its Heritage Buildings to fall into such disrepair. It was embarrassing—and all Canadians should be embarrassed! We routinely met with diplomats and foreign ministers in our office, and each one of them had to pass through the same entrance as we did. I have literally been in outhouses that smelled better.
Moreover, the Confederation Building, where many MP offices are located, had scaffolding all around it when I first moved to Ottawa. I drove by it 14 years (!) later, and the scaffolding was still there! I understand that it has since been removed, but come on, people. These are buildings that Canadians should take great pride in. They are also the public face of a wealthy trading nation, and one of the first things that visiting dignitaries see. I still scratch my head thinking about it (while remembering the time, back in the late 90s, that the entire Treasury Department in DC was subject to a massive masonry restoration over the course of single summer, looking brand new when completed).
The reasons government can't get anything done in this country are 1) paralysis by analysis, and adding more people into the decision loop doesn't make better decisions it just ensures they take forever if at all, and 2) everyone is afraid of being "wrong" and pilloried from all directions.
Assuming security and operational suitability then give the NCC an adequate 5 year capital budget and ongoing maintenance and repair budget for 24 Sussex, Stornaway, Rideau Hall and Cottage, Harrison Lake and then leave ALL the decisions and responsibilities in their hands and empower them to get this done!
We've f . . . ed around with this for almost 30 years!
There is a cultural dimension that is missing from the discussions like the one about 24 Sussex. Canadians are usually from cultures where the poor had to look after every penny to avoid starving, but would give you the shirt off their back if you were in need. They are generous if asked and will contribute what they have to spare. Unfortunately that isn’t much these days.
The wealthy Canadians are somewhat different in attitude: do not always pay their bills, some they will only pay if you force them, and if it is a larger bill they have to pay, they put off paying for as long as possible.
Politicians seem to fall into that wealthy class that puts off paying as long as possible, too often in the hope that someone else will pay.
If 24 Sussex Dr is to be the official Prime Minister’s Residence, then gut the place down to the stone and bricks, repair the foundation, or if it’s that bad, knock it in and rebuild it to match the original layout, so you can’t tell it’s been redone.
In this day and age, a $50 million dollar rebuild is not out of line. But if it is properly maintained, it will serve us well for another 150 years.
Thank you for this commentary on our state of pettiness. I’ve never understood this constant underfunding and undermining of our national heritage, quality of life and standing on the world stage. No wonder Canada has slipped so far down the happiness scale. The underlying Scrooge like, conservative, pennywise but pound foolish approach to Canadian governance and financing needs to be kicked to the curb. We all deserve better.
I completely agree but I would add in a swipe at the press. If they weren’t more than happy to report breathlessly and with feigned outrage about legitimate expenditures on things like appropriate accommodation for our PM, we’d be a lot further ahead.
I was about to say the same thing, but I think I will still, there's a little more that could be said about it.
And I will add that the influence of the US media and politics in terms of pushing the idea that all government spending is bad and wasteful combined with the number of US corporations who see as an outpost in the hinterland to be used for resources (and don’t want to pay taxes) plays a part in this too.
I’m hopeful that our growing relationship with Europe especially the Nordic countries reminds us the social democracy is what gives Canadian citizens the things we value most (healthcare and a safety net). We need to shake off the false narrative of success based in the selfish individualism of the US and remember what true success looks like both as individuals and as a nation.
It’s all part of the same influence. We deserve to be proud of our nation and its history.
This perfectly encapsulates the Canadian psyche. I see this daily in both the public and private sectors. The inability to commit to the tools and investments needed to get the outcomes we want.
Our refusal to spend/invest money in anything but real estate explains why we lag in productivity.
I checked the National Capital Commission’s asset report. Fixing 24 Sussex Drive needs $36.6 million for critical deferred maintenance. That’s pocket change next to the $487 billion federal spending plan this year. Yet politicians and the public keep dodging it for optics. No wonder bigger priorities keep getting nickel-and-dimed too. See the NCC details here: https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/the-condition-of-canadas-official-residences.
Can’t believe we’re still carping on about our Prime Minister’s residence. This debate has been going on for years. We just sound mean and parochial. Fix the goddamn house and be done with it.
It was a shock to pass by 24 Sussex on the Ottawa River in 2014 and see air conditioners sticking out of the windows in an age when McMansions in the 'burbs have central air. I didn't know about the asbestos and rats. The Mike Duffy affair was an exercise in Canadian small town cheap. So was "$18 orange juice" purchased in a hotel in downtown London. Congratulations on the new job. Doug Pepper's a decent guy and it's not a Murdoch company.
Truly wretched. Just piles of rat shit. What are we even doing.
That example came to mind to me too while reading this whole piece. I'm sure you were just going on memory, but it was actually $16 OJ in Feb12, which would be $21.90 today.
I remember thinking it was an outrageous amount back then, but I've also spent what I consider to be outrageous amounts for a hotel room in the last few years, and once you're there and need your daily OJ in the morning, there's not much else you can do buy bite the bullet and pay through the nose for your fix (to mix a whole lot of metaphors ...).
Prices in downtown London bear no resemblance to the normal world. The most grating thing was that there were far better reasons to criticise that minister, ones that involved policies and the poor quality of her administrative work.
Congratulations on joining M and S. In the same spirit we need to rejoice in our distinct national voices.
Congrats on the new role! Hope you keep writing as much as you can.
Thank you!
Parsimony is the national badge of honour. We are afraid to spend on infrastructure and then when we do we lack procurement expertise and experience then end up with boondoggles. I have blogged about this myself here on Substack. No PM wants to touch the residence issue because it would look like they are benefiting personally. So the NCC should just announce it is making a decision and proceeding completely independently of the current PM. Get ‘er done.
Fix the damned house. And if Poilievre complains (which he will), kick him out of Stornoway.
Like Simon below, I'll point out that it's not just the attitudes of politicians and ordinary people that has led to this. The media has turned itself from a fourth (and fifth) estate supposedly meant to hold the others to account into just another business trying to maximize profits, and doing so by manufacturing outrage rather than reporting the news, analyzing and commenting on it. One could argue that it has merely followed the example of opposition parties, but that's not much of an excuse.
The other point I'll make is about relative affluence, fairness, the tax system and government profligacy in general. I know you may get tired of hearing me harp on taxes, but I suggest it's a lot easier to expect parsimony from politicians when you have yours thrust upon you by their bad decisions, and a crappy tax system is the part that underpins the rest of it.
We'd be a lot less likely to complain if there weren't such a discrepancy between how the other half lives, and if that discrepancy wasn't so much due to some people getting a free ride on the backs of others. Politicians spend (i.e. waste) a lot of money to ensure people continue to vote them their cushy jobs. And a bit part of that "spend" is in the tax system, which is something whose effects we all feel on a weekly basis (or insert your own payroll cycle length).
I'm embarrassed by the state of 24 Sussex too. But not really any more than I'm embarrassed by the state of our entire political community.
Successive governments (Liberal and Conservative) have avoided being the one that spent millions on a residence for the PM that is both fitting for entertaining and modernized for security purposes.
Just before Justin Trudeau left office he wrote to the Minister of Public Services and Procurement requesting that a proposal be developed exploring options for a new official residence by January 2026. The days when you could use a former PM to help justify a major expenditure like this are long gone as these days what constitutes a political scandal has a pretty low bar (unless your Donald Trump or Pierre Poilievre - both right of centre politicians).
As many Canadians are struggling with housing and other costs, there is not a snowball's chance in hell that Prime Minister Mark Carney is going to be the one making that call.
Ugh it’s such a sad little disease. Remember when they were kvetching about the cost of the GG’s flights on state visits? She’s effectively our head of state, what did you want her to do, fly coach?
A serious country makes allowances for majesty. In this matter we are not a serious country
I remember when I first started working on Parliament Hill way back in 2007 (where I worked until 2019). The MP’s office I worked in was in the West Block. Stephen Harper was PM. My first day on the job, I walked in through the main entrance, passed through security and was immediately pounded by the strong stench of urine. The urinals in the washroom closest to the entrance had been backed up for weeks, apparently (I found this out later). They remained backed up for the entire year I worked in the building. As an American who had moved to Canada a few years prior, one who had earlier spent 7 years living in Capitol Hill In Washington, D.C., I simply could not believe that a member of the G7 would allow its Heritage Buildings to fall into such disrepair. It was embarrassing—and all Canadians should be embarrassed! We routinely met with diplomats and foreign ministers in our office, and each one of them had to pass through the same entrance as we did. I have literally been in outhouses that smelled better.
Moreover, the Confederation Building, where many MP offices are located, had scaffolding all around it when I first moved to Ottawa. I drove by it 14 years (!) later, and the scaffolding was still there! I understand that it has since been removed, but come on, people. These are buildings that Canadians should take great pride in. They are also the public face of a wealthy trading nation, and one of the first things that visiting dignitaries see. I still scratch my head thinking about it (while remembering the time, back in the late 90s, that the entire Treasury Department in DC was subject to a massive masonry restoration over the course of single summer, looking brand new when completed).
The reasons government can't get anything done in this country are 1) paralysis by analysis, and adding more people into the decision loop doesn't make better decisions it just ensures they take forever if at all, and 2) everyone is afraid of being "wrong" and pilloried from all directions.
Assuming security and operational suitability then give the NCC an adequate 5 year capital budget and ongoing maintenance and repair budget for 24 Sussex, Stornaway, Rideau Hall and Cottage, Harrison Lake and then leave ALL the decisions and responsibilities in their hands and empower them to get this done!
We've f . . . ed around with this for almost 30 years!
There is a cultural dimension that is missing from the discussions like the one about 24 Sussex. Canadians are usually from cultures where the poor had to look after every penny to avoid starving, but would give you the shirt off their back if you were in need. They are generous if asked and will contribute what they have to spare. Unfortunately that isn’t much these days.
The wealthy Canadians are somewhat different in attitude: do not always pay their bills, some they will only pay if you force them, and if it is a larger bill they have to pay, they put off paying for as long as possible.
Politicians seem to fall into that wealthy class that puts off paying as long as possible, too often in the hope that someone else will pay.
If 24 Sussex Dr is to be the official Prime Minister’s Residence, then gut the place down to the stone and bricks, repair the foundation, or if it’s that bad, knock it in and rebuild it to match the original layout, so you can’t tell it’s been redone.
In this day and age, a $50 million dollar rebuild is not out of line. But if it is properly maintained, it will serve us well for another 150 years.
Nous nous souviendrons.
We are Canadian.
Thank you for this commentary on our state of pettiness. I’ve never understood this constant underfunding and undermining of our national heritage, quality of life and standing on the world stage. No wonder Canada has slipped so far down the happiness scale. The underlying Scrooge like, conservative, pennywise but pound foolish approach to Canadian governance and financing needs to be kicked to the curb. We all deserve better.