Conservative ethics critic Michael Barrett says his occasion will transfer a movement to pressure testimony from Canada’s consultant in New York if he doesn’t seem at a Tuesday committee examine into the acquisition of a $9-million apartment in Manhattan.
Earlier this month, New York Consul Normal Tom Clark was invited to look at Tuesday’s Home of Commons Standing Committee on Authorities Operations and Estimates.
However a spokesperson for World Affairs Canada mentioned in a press release to CTV Information: “Consul Normal Clark is unavailable on the date initially proposed. Nevertheless, he has indicated he’s completely satisfied to attend, and work is underway with the committee to seek out an alternate date.”
The Conservatives say if Clark doesn’t seem at tomorrow’s assembly, they’ll transfer a movement to pressure his testimony.
“Mr. Clark must reply for what’s occurring in New York Metropolis,” Barrett mentioned in an interview with CTV Information.
Barrett advised CTV Information he expects his parliamentary colleagues to help the summons movement. “The invitation to Mr. Clark was one which handed the committee, and so we count on that when Conservatives put ahead a movement to formally summon Mr. Clark to look that that can move the committee and that it will likely be the primary order of enterprise that the committee is seized with.”
Conservative MP Michael Barrett awaits the beginning of a gathering of the Standing Committee on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)
A formal committee summons would successfully pressure Clark’s look.
Final month, it was revealed Canada spent $9 million in June to purchase a Manhattan luxurious apartment for the official residence of its consul common. World Affairs Canada solely admitted it was behind the acquisition after New York-based publications, together with the New York Submit, reported the deal was finished for King Charles III, because the deed for the property mentioned it was offered to “His Majesty the King in proper of Canada.”
The brand new apartment is in Steinway Tower, a constructing referred to as the world’s thinnest skyscraper, and is simply steps from Central Park. Charlotte MacLeod, a spokeswoman for World Affairs Canada, advised CTV Information the acquisition would save Canadians thousands and thousands of {dollars}, and renovating the outdated location would require “vital investments.”
“Contemplating the excessive renovation prices for the present residence and the worth of the property, World Affairs Canada advisable a relocation to a brand new, smaller, extra appropriate, and extra economical condominium,” she mentioned.
Stephane Cousineau, senior assistant deputy minister at World Affairs, advised members of Parliament final week that Clark didn’t affect the federal government’s choice to buy the residence.
The earlier itemizing, situated on Park Avenue in Manhattan, was listed on the market Aug. 15 at greater than $13 million. Barrett says the federal government made “a hurried push” to listing the previous residence and that it hasn’t discovered any potential patrons.
“It is extremely silly for the federal government to take taxpayers’ cash and put all of it on the road and say, ‘Nicely, we have listed this for $13 million and, subsequently, it justifies our $9-million buy that we have already made,'” Barrett mentioned.
Jonathan Miller, president and CEO of Miller Samuel Inc., and Thomas Aabo, a licensed actual property agent by means of Douglas Elliman Actual Property, are each scheduled to testify by way of video convention at Tuesday’s committee listening to.
International Affairs Minister Melanie Joly appointed Clark as Canada’s consul common to New York in February 2023. Between the Seventies and 2017, he labored as a journalist, spending practically 40 years with CTV Information and 6 with World Information.
With information from The Canadian Press
