'That's wild': Luxury condo for consul general in New York was not approved by Treasury Board

OTTAWA — The purchase of the new residence of Canada’s consul general in New York by Global Affairs Canada was not approved by the Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) because it was just below the threshold that jumped to $10 million in 2022. On Tuesday, senior public servants from TBS and Public Works were called to the first of three meetings of a House of Commons committee to explain the government’s recent decision to buy a $9-million luxury condo on Manhattan’s “Billionaire’s Row.” Samantha Tattersall, a senior Treasury Board official, said her department’s approval was not required because it was under the $10-million limit.

But she said Global Affairs Canada (GAC) still had to conclude the transaction in a manner that was consistent with Treasury Board policies. She said the department expects GAC to have validated the need for an acquisition based on “appropriate due diligence, including a full life cycle analysis,” and that it was done in “a fair and open manner that’s aligned with commercial real estate practices.” Conservative MP Michael Barrett, who has criticized the move, said “that’s wild” to think that a multimillion purchase of real estate did not trigger a review of Treasury Board.

Eight government departments, including GAC, have special limits and conditions for the acquisition and disposition of property that can take place without the approval of TBS. Tattersall said there are hundreds of property transactions that can occur .