Roundup: Asbestos and rodent-free!

Posted on by

We are due for another round of sighs and hand-wringing as 24 Sussex has been declared asbestos and rodent free (which were mostly mice, not rats as previously reported), and the old wiring and plumbing are also gone, so now the decision needs to be made on what to do with it—and while yes, it is ostensibly the call of the National Capital Commission, they require money from the government to make any plans come to fruition, so this does wind up being on the government’s plate.

At this point, with the abatement work completed, it seems like maybe this would be a good time to just go ahead and do the renovations, including reinforcing the roof to protect against drone attacks (because yes, this is now a serious consideration) because this is still a worthwhile property and I think there is some symbolic weight and value of being across from Rideau Hall, and the image of the prime minister having to cross the road to meet with the Governor General is a good one to have, rather than the current “running across the back garden” image, which doesn’t convey the same weight or gravitas. And Rideau Cottage isn’t suited for a lot of purposes, like entertaining, working dinners, and the kitchen is too small for the prime minister’s chef to work in, which is why they used 24 Sussex still until recently, and currently use an unnamed nearby facility and deliver the meals from there. Plus, it too would require more security upgrades. I’m also not terribly keen on purpose-building a new residence in the site of a current parking lot, as has been a proposal.

My one request remains that if they do the work to restore 24 Sussex as a working residence, that they restore the original façade because it had a lot more character and is more in keeping with the neo-Gothic elements of the Centre Block (and the stripped-down 1950s appearance it currently holds is indicative of the architectural sins of that era). But let’s just get it done, while Trudeau is in the declining years of his government, when he can’t be accused of doing it to feather his own nest but that it can be justified in doing the work for the nation, like it should have been all along.

Ukraine Dispatch:

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visited troops in Robotyne, which is on the front lines in the south east, and the site of intense fighting. Over the weekend, two Ukrainian drones are purported to have struck the largest Russian oil refinery in the country’s south.

Good reads:

  • Mélanie Joly says that Canada is closing in on a security assurances agreement with Ukraine, which should be completed in the coming weeks.
  • The government is has extended the ban on most foreign ownership of Canadian housing by another two years.
  • The new AFN national chief, Cindy Woodhouse, is hoping to forge a better relationship with Pierre Poilievre than with previous Conservative leaders.
  • Quebec is planning to legislate minimum francophone content on streaming platforms (which they may not have the constitutional jurisdiction to do).
  • Danielle Smith is re-opening a “mission” in Ottawa to have provincial representatives on hand to lobby federal officials.
  • Kevin Carmichael reflects on the notion of regulating amoral markets, and OSFI deciding they will start weighing in on the character of bank leaders.
  • Philippe Lagassé gives a reality check to the nostalgia for our “golden age” of involvement in global affairs, and it’s not what most people think.
  • Lagassé also looks to the Supreme Court of Canada’s decision on Doug Ford’s mandate letters as an object lesson in how separation of powers works in Canada.
  • Emmett Macfarlane is more critical of the Court’s reasoning in this decision, particularly in the conversation around what is convention versus statute.
  • Shannon Proudfoot notes the government’s new lines about being the grown-ups in the room, but it’s a room they’re still not able to really read.
  • Susan Delacourt talks to Jonathan Wilkinson about certain provinces courting anarchy in the way they are rebelling against the federal government.

Odds and Ends:

Want more Routine Proceedings? Become a patron and get exclusive new content.