MPs have voted to investigate the purchase of a $9 million luxury condominium in Manhattan for Tom Clark, a former CTV announcer appointed last year as Canada’s $205,000-a-year Consul General in New York. Blacklock's Reporter says the decision to probe the acquisition comes amid outrage over the high cost of the high-rise penthouse, which includes four bathrooms.“Justin Trudeau found it prudent to purchase an apartment on Billionaires’ Row for $9 million,” said Conservative MP Kelly Block (Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, Sask.). “Canadians deserve answers.”The investigation was prompted by a July 15 National Post article revealing that the Department of Foreign Affairs had bought the 3,600-square-foot condo on New York’s West 57th Street. “This is how Justin Trudeau’s chosen elite live high on the taxpayers’ dime at a time when Canadians are struggling to pay their mortgages or the rent, at a time when our country is seeing more tent cities cropping up across Canada,” Block added.The Commons government operations committee unanimously adopted Block’s motion requiring the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide a list within 21 days of all properties, including addresses and list prices, that were visited or considered for purchase for the official residence of the Consul General in New York.Clark has been summoned for questioning, with hearings scheduled for the week of August 19.While Liberal MPs did not oppose the motion, some expressed concerns about the purchase. “We need to see the value of this property that we purchased,” said MP Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, B.C.).McKinnon questioned the committee's authority to order document production, but Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West), the committee chair, clarified, “The committee does have the power to do that. We have ordered, as members around this table know, hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.”MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, Ont.) also voiced his frustration. “Of course $9 million is an expense,” Barrett said. “It was taken out of Canadians’ pockets. It was taxed off their paycheques.” He added, “I hope Mr. Clark enjoys it until the day after the next election.”Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.) echoed the sentiment, expressing her disapproval of the purchase. “We agree $9 million for a New York condo for the Consul General needs to be examined,” she said. “Nine million dollars is a lifetime of work for the average person. That is a lot of money to be spent.”
MPs have voted to investigate the purchase of a $9 million luxury condominium in Manhattan for Tom Clark, a former CTV announcer appointed last year as Canada’s $205,000-a-year Consul General in New York. Blacklock's Reporter says the decision to probe the acquisition comes amid outrage over the high cost of the high-rise penthouse, which includes four bathrooms.“Justin Trudeau found it prudent to purchase an apartment on Billionaires’ Row for $9 million,” said Conservative MP Kelly Block (Carlton Trail-Eagle Creek, Sask.). “Canadians deserve answers.”The investigation was prompted by a July 15 National Post article revealing that the Department of Foreign Affairs had bought the 3,600-square-foot condo on New York’s West 57th Street. “This is how Justin Trudeau’s chosen elite live high on the taxpayers’ dime at a time when Canadians are struggling to pay their mortgages or the rent, at a time when our country is seeing more tent cities cropping up across Canada,” Block added.The Commons government operations committee unanimously adopted Block’s motion requiring the Department of Foreign Affairs to provide a list within 21 days of all properties, including addresses and list prices, that were visited or considered for purchase for the official residence of the Consul General in New York.Clark has been summoned for questioning, with hearings scheduled for the week of August 19.While Liberal MPs did not oppose the motion, some expressed concerns about the purchase. “We need to see the value of this property that we purchased,” said MP Ron McKinnon (Coquitlam-Port Coquitlam, B.C.).McKinnon questioned the committee's authority to order document production, but Conservative MP Kelly McCauley (Edmonton West), the committee chair, clarified, “The committee does have the power to do that. We have ordered, as members around this table know, hundreds of thousands of pages of documents.”MP Michael Barrett (Leeds-Grenville, Ont.) also voiced his frustration. “Of course $9 million is an expense,” Barrett said. “It was taken out of Canadians’ pockets. It was taxed off their paycheques.” He added, “I hope Mr. Clark enjoys it until the day after the next election.”Bloc Québécois MP Julie Vignola (Beauport-Limoilou, Que.) echoed the sentiment, expressing her disapproval of the purchase. “We agree $9 million for a New York condo for the Consul General needs to be examined,” she said. “Nine million dollars is a lifetime of work for the average person. That is a lot of money to be spent.”
