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OTTAWA — Canada’s consul general in New York says concerns he raised about his official residence that were later cited in Global Affairs Canada’s justification for $9 million condo purchase on Billionaires’ Row were just “in passing.”

Tom Clark has defended his comments about his official residence in a new letter to the parliamentary committee currently investigating the purchase.

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This comes after the committee discussed newly released documents, obtained through federal access laws, earlier in the week showing that two months after his February 2023 appointment, Clark’s office had raised concerns regarding space.

Conservative lawmakers say this contradicts earlier testimony from Clark, who said he played no role in the government’s decision to purchase a new residence in a posh Manhattan real estate district known as ‘Billionaires’ Row, which was made public in July.

Opposition Conservatives have accused the government of purchasing a new residence at the behest of Clark, a former journalist they call Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “media buddy,” at a time when Canadians are struggling with high food and real estate prices.

In a letter sent to the committee, Clark said he arrived in New York in February 2023 and began organizing events to work to strengthen Canada’s economic and political interests in the United States.

“In the course of using the official residence to fulfill my mandate, I observed that the seating options presented challenges, including for guests with mobility or accessibility issues,” Clark wrote.

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“I also observed the issues between the family and the spaces of representation. I shared these views with the Consulate General administration who informed me that these concerns were consistent with those shared with Global Affairs Canada headquarters since 2014.”

Clark goes on to say that he was unaware until media reports this week “that this passing comment made to a colleague had been reported by the consulate general to the real estate team at Global Affairs Canada.”

“Any reference to myself in mission comments provided in April 2023 is an indirect, third-hand account.”

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly testified this week that the decision to buy a new residence was an operational choice and not a political one.

Joly, along with a series of other department officials, defended the purchase, saying it followed all proper channels and was based on sound financial analysis.

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As in Clark’s letter, the department said problems with the existing residence had been reported since 2014 and that previous renovation plans, which would have still left some issues unresolved, were derailed with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 in March. 2020.

“In conclusion,” Clark states in his letter, “I would like to once again emphasize that at no time did I provide direction to employees regarding the Department’s ongoing review of residency, nor did I no longer exerted any influence on the purchase of the new residence. residence.”

The May 2023 documents in question — first reported by Politico but also obtained by the National Post — The real estate directorate within Global Affairs Canada noted that “the (Consulate General of New York) informed in April 2023…senior management that the property is not suitable for representational activities, that it is not suitable not as a residence and must be replaced immediately. »

Gaps listed included accessibility issues, as well as the fact that there was no division between private and official spaces.

“Occupants should essentially be relegated to the bedroom when an event takes place,” the document states.

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Officials also noted ongoing issues with the condominium board which had placed “strict restrictions” on the number of guests and the size of events that could be held in the building.

National Post
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