Mr. Chair, I am going to say a bit more about the tools we need to do our job. I am not quite as qualified to speak to the value of the work the consul general is called upon to do. I know that the consul general and his deputy and the geographic group have testified before the committee regarding the value of having a consul general in New York.
A lot of trade goes on in that city. It is a crucial hub for a number of states. This serves Canada and Canadians. Remember that 200,000 or 300,000 Canadians live in the New York region. It is therefore important that the consul general's official residence be well equipped for both trade purposes and consular services. This is a very large mission.
This brings us to what the consul general needs. As I explained earlier, an exhaustive needs analysis is done based on the expected hospitality or representational functions. That is the public part. The property also serves as a private residence. We have to think about how the apartment can be divided between the public and private parts. That is an important factor.
There is also security, which is a major factor. We want to be sure the property is safe for the consul general. There are also other factors considered, such as accessibility and the environment. For example, the building has to meet environmental standards.
A lot of factors have to be considered in choosing an official residence. This is codified in a manual that explains exactly what a consul general could expect.