hitops Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 (edited) The house has evidently needed major repairs dating back several decades. It should just be fixed. Trudeau may not get to spend much time in it during his upcoming term. I'm not sure he will care much, it does not sound like it is the greatest place anyway. Perhaps a slight loss of convenience in getting to work. It is really not a political issue at all, it just has to get done. Edited October 27, 2015 by hitops Quote
Smallc Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 It's not even a loss of convenience. He has moved into a house across the street. Quote
overthere Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 The responsible thing to do would be to consider the options, which are to fix what is there or build something new. I have no confidence at all in the ability of the NCC to do this analysis, or to execute the work with any competence. The next time they work effectively on anything will be the first time. If the ballpark estimate is $10 million, the actual cost be be > $50m. Why not consider building an iconic, modern, high tech residence? You could use the old one to store mold or rodents. Quote Science too hard for you? Try religion!
Smallc Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 Generally, countries have enough pride in places like this that they have no issue spending the money to fix them. I think, by this point in history, Canada is one of those places. Fix the damned thing. Quote
SpankyMcFarland Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 It's a national embarrassment that we are letting the official residence of our head of government fall apart. The Americans, French or British would never let that happen. Why should anybody take us seriously when we can't manage this? The whole matter should have no partisan significance. Quote ‘How small we make our worlds. Gather them in, tighten them up into little castles of fear.’
bush_cheney2004 Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 Doesn't Canada's head of state reside in big fancy castle across the pond ? Do Canadian taxpayers have to pay for any upkeep of Windsor Castle or other posh royal digs ? The PM's residence(s) seems very modest in comparison. Quote Economics trumps Virtue.
Smallc Posted October 27, 2015 Report Posted October 27, 2015 Doesn't Canada's head of state reside in big fancy castle across the pond ? Do Canadian taxpayers have to pay for any upkeep of Windsor Castle or other posh royal digs ? The PM's residence(s) seems very modest in comparison. There's a fancy palace across the road actually. Trudeau is living in a box behind it. Quote
The_Squid Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Doesn't Canada's head of state reside in big fancy castle across the pond ? Do Canadian taxpayers have to pay for any upkeep of Windsor Castle or other posh royal digs ? The PM's residence(s) seems very modest in comparison. Who mentioned anything about the Head of State? Thanks for your input though.... Quote
bush_cheney2004 Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Foe some reason, this great PM residence maintenance saga reminds me of HGTV's "Love it or List It", also produced in Canada. Let Hilary and David do their thing over several episodes. That way, the residence gets updated and Trudeau's family can look at other options. Quote Economics trumps Virtue.
On Guard for Thee Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Foe some reason, this great PM residence maintenance saga reminds me of HGTV's "Love it or List It", also produced in Canada. Let Hilary and David do their thing over several episodes. That way, the residence gets updated and Trudeau's family can look at other options. Just keep watching your daytime TV. You'll be fine. You may not learn much, but fun eh? Quote
Canada_First Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Should be repaired. This is a non issue. Quote
cybercoma Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 There's a fancy palace across the road actually. Trudeau is living in a box behind it.Uh.....it's a cottage. heh Quote
cybercoma Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Doesn't Canada's head of state reside in big fancy castle across the pond ? Do Canadian taxpayers have to pay for any upkeep of Windsor Castle or other posh royal digs ? The PM's residence(s) seems very modest in comparison.Taxpayers in Great Britain don't even pay the upkeep of Windsor Castle. Maintenance is more than covered by the tourism dollars that it brings in. Quote
Derek 2.0 Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 It sounds on paper to be in quite the state.........the mention of Asbestos is no surprise though, as any Canadian home built prior to the 1990s will likely contain asbestos, in anything from drywall tape/mud, sealings on duct work, floor tiles, popcorn ceilings and pipe insulation. It should be repaired, but I'd be very surprised if fully abated of Asbestos that it will cost the estimated total.... Quote
Smallc Posted October 28, 2015 Report Posted October 28, 2015 Uh.....it's a cottage. heh It literally looks like a box though...I think. Quote
ReeferMadness Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Maureen McTeer has expressed the opinion it should be torn down and rebuilt. Frankly, I'm inclined to agree. It seems like when it was renovated in 1951, they ripped out anything that might have been of heritage value. I'm in favor of building a white-house style combination residence and Prime Minister's Office. And yes, I understand our PM is not head of state but as head of government, s/he does have 24/7 commitments. McTeer, an author of a book on Canada's official residences, said the building is "completely lacking" in architectural value, and not worth saving. Quote Unlimited economic growth has the marvelous quality of stilling discontent while preserving privilege, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among liberal economists. - Noam Chomsky It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it. - Upton Sinclair
Smallc Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 And yet, it has a history as the residence of the Prime Minister. It should be maintained that way. Quote
Argus Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 (edited) Maureen McTeer has expressed the opinion it should be torn down and rebuilt. Frankly, I'm inclined to agree. It seems like when it was renovated in 1951, they ripped out anything that might have been of heritage value. If you leave out the stuff that's happened since then, like the visits from the Queen, JFK, Winston Churchill, and various other heads of states. And it was home to every PM since Louis St. Laurent, if you care anything about Canadian history. Edited October 29, 2015 by Argus Quote "A liberal is someone who claims to be open to all points of view — and then is surprised and offended to find there are other points of view.” William F Buckley
Smallc Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 If you leave out the stuff that's happened since then, like the visits from the Queen, JFK, and various other heads of states. Apparently, nothing bad happened since 1951 of any note. Quote
GostHacked Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 For the trotted out estimate of repairs, I'd say rip the thing down and rebuild a modern efficient residence which can be designed like the old, but made for the new. Even if it was 20 million. Drop in the bucket compared to the billions these politicians piss away every fiscal year. For the money wasted in Ontario alone with those failed power plants, imagine what a billion CND could build. I would even propose a compromise of keeping the exterior, but gutting the thing completely and go with something modern that compliments the stone architecture. Anything that has essentially been neglected for 50 years will need a lot of money to bring it up to date. Quote
ReeferMadness Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 If you leave out the stuff that's happened since then, like the visits from the Queen, JFK, Winston Churchill, and various other heads of states. And it was home to every PM since Louis St. Laurent, if you care anything about Canadian history. Apparently, nothing bad happened since 1951 of any note. It's a big box that doesn't say Canada to me. It's typical of Canada that we didn't have an official residence for our head of government for the first 85 years, then we bought a "heritage home" and gutted it, then left it to waste away for another 60 years. Every PM up to the current one has been too chicken to spend money on it. I say put it to a national referendum. Options: 1. Spend up to $12 million to fix it ($10 million is bare minimum). 2. Spend up to $x million to replace it (residence only). 3. Spend up to $y million to build a White House style residence/Prime Ministers office with space for official functions. If it was 2 or 3, we could have public input to the design and it could be a sesquicentennial project. I'd vote for it. Quote Unlimited economic growth has the marvelous quality of stilling discontent while preserving privilege, a fact that has not gone unnoticed among liberal economists. - Noam Chomsky It is difficult to get a man to understand something, when his salary depends on his not understanding it. - Upton Sinclair
Smallc Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 We already have a Prime Minister's Officr and plenty of space for receptions. Having the home quiet and separate seems far more Canadian than some kind of US clone. Quote
hitops Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 Surprised to learn the place doesn't even have central a/c, just a bunch of window units. Quote
bush_cheney2004 Posted October 29, 2015 Report Posted October 29, 2015 We already have a Prime Minister's Officr and plenty of space for receptions. Having the home quiet and separate seems far more Canadian than some kind of US clone. Agreed....don't worry about what the US has or doesn't have. Love It or List It ! Quote Economics trumps Virtue.
Ash74 Posted October 29, 2015 Author Report Posted October 29, 2015 It is our history. The U.S. has had a similar debate several times in it's history. No it is not The White House or Number 10 Downing St but it is our history. We as a nation have spent more on things that were not necessary so I don't think spending money on this is a waste. The fact Our current PM who was elected is staying in a cottage on the residence of the Governor General is a little tacky considering he was not elected. Quote “Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains.”― Winston S. Churchill There is no worse tyranny than to force a man to pay for what he does not want merely because you think it would be good for him. –Robert Heinlein
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