Good morning.
We agree with the motion in general, but I'd like to make a few changes.
We agree that we need to look at the acquisition of a $9‑million condo for the Consul General in New York City. Generally speaking, to the average person, $9 million represents nine working lives. That's significant. It's taxpayer funds, so it's important that we look at this. In the context of a federal budget, it may seem like a drop in the bucket, but it's a significant amount nevertheless.
So here's the motion with the amendments I am suggesting to my colleagues. It will be sent out to them in a moment if they haven't already received it:
Given the government has spent 9 million dollars of taxpayer money on an apartment in Manhattan, New York for the Consul General, the committee order Global Affairs Canada to produce a list, within 14 days of this motion being adopted, of all properties including the addresses and listing prices of those that were visited or considered for purchase for the official residence of the consulate general in New York, and the committee call the following witnesses to testify: the Consul General of Canada in New York, U.S.A., Tom Clark, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and other departmental representatives, representatives from Public Services and Procurement Canada and the Treasury Board, as well as a panel of New York City real estate agents, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, if the committee deems it necessary after hearing the other witnesses. And that these meetings be held between August 19 and August 27, 2024, inclusively, and that apart from these three additional meetings, the committee hold no additional meetings before September 9, 2024, with the exception of meetings pursuant to Standing Order 106(4).
The wording refers to the meeting that was scheduled for today, but we can remove that part because it's null and void. So it would end after the reference to meetings requested pursuant to Standing Order 106(4).