OTTAWA — Senior public servants have been called to a House of Commons committee to explain the government’s decision to buy a $9-million condo for the consul general in New York. Conservative MP Michael Barrett called the residence “excessive” and “opulent,” and questioned why the procurement minister was not made aware of the purchase. “Was this purchase, in the context that I mentioned about the cost of living crisis that Canadians are facing, was this flagged for the minister?” he asked.
Amelie Bouchard, the acting chief appraiser of Canada, said she was the most senior official in the Procurement Department to sign off on the purchase but noted her role is to appraise a given property. The government is selling its old Manhattan residence, which it has listed for $13 million, a move that Global Affairs says will actually save the government money. Other officials who spoke at the meeting included two members of the real property services team in the Procurement Department, who often deferred questions to Global Affairs.
Global Affairs was not represented at the meeting Tuesday. A second committee meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. Samantha Tattersall, a senior Treasury Board official, said her department did not need to review the purchase because it was under $10 million.
However, she said Treasury Board policies would govern how Global Affairs made its decision. “What I think this committee would want to hear from Global Affairs about is: did they un.