Procedure and House Affairs Committee on May 14th, 2019

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

We know very well.

[Rob Wright]

We had a good discussion on the elm tree. As we discussed, the elm tree was to be cut. The wood is being stored, so that it will be cured and could be used for a future parliamentary use in consultation with Parliament by the dominion sculptor. We are working with the University of Guelph as well to grow some small saplings. I think the survival rate of those saplings was quite low, which was indicative of the health of the tree itself.

I'll pass it off to Ms. Garrett to give more detail.

[Jennifer Garrett]

Thank you, Mr. Wright.

Mr. Wright pretty much covered it. The only thing I would add is that based on the tree's health, we did take a hundred cuttings from the tree—the best cuttings the arborist could find. We sent them off to the University of Guelph and they picked the best 50 to try to propagate them. Of those 50 saplings, only 10 have survived that propagation process. We have 10 saplings that are growing in a greenhouse at the University of Guelph and when they're strong enough, they'll be grown outside and then returned to the precinct when it's appropriate.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Okay. Thank you.

When I left my last round, I was asking about tunnels. If you go back to slide 17, on proposed circulation for parliamentarians, I'm wondering if you could provide access between East Block and West Block, so we don't have to go up and around. I just thought that the purple should cross, unless you want us all to go through the freight tunnels.

I don't have a lot left and I'll leave it to Ms. Lapointe in a second.

As we've been taking Centre Block apart, have we had any real surprises?

[Jennifer Garrett]

I would say we haven't had surprises, but there was a disappointment. We were hopeful that the shafts within the building would be sufficient to carry, for example, our mechanical and electrical.... They're much smaller than we were anticipating, which is causing us to drive to new solutions. We're still in the process of articulating designated substances in the building.

The most interesting discussion will be in terms of the structural work and assessments that we're doing right now. It's related to one of the upcoming decisions, namely, on how we will seismically reinforce the building. There are some opportunities around base isolation that would allow us to save a lot of the heritage hierarchy in the building and the structure that's above the basement in the building.

There have been no surprises from the perspective that we've got a very old building that requires a very significant modernization. Having said that, all of that allows you to do much more detailed planning for the design and costing of the program, which we're working on at present.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

There are no listening devices in the walls or bags of cash in behind things, or something like that?

[Jennifer Garrett]

There haven't been, so far.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

I have one last question before I pass this on. When am I going to get kicked out of my office in the Confederation Building?

[Jennifer Garrett]

That's a good question.

[Rob Wright]

This is another point of engagement with Parliament on the broader campus strategy. Doing the major restoration of the Confederation Building will require swing space. We are planning to put facilities for the House and the Senate adjacent to the former U.S. Embassy to support the restoration of the Confederation Building, as well as the East Block. Those facilities are not designed yet, nor are they close to construction. You'd be looking towards or past mid-2025 to get to that point.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

If I have any time left, I'd like to give it to Ms. Lapointe.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Do I have any time left?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

You have one minute left.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Will I have more later?

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Yes.

[Linda Lapointe, Liberal, Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC]

Okay. I'll wait for the next round in that case.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

You'll go after Mr. Christopherson.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

If Ms. Lapointe prefers to wait, I'll continue for another minute.

Is the Supreme Court involved in the LTVP? I know there's been talk about renovating that one as well.

[Rob Wright]

Full restoration of the Supreme Court is in the plans. The West Memorial Building is the swing space for that facility. It's part of the long-term vision and plan from a planning principle perspective, but not from an implementation perspective.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

You mentioned the old U.S. embassy briefly. Is that also to be a swing space, or is it only for the...?

[Rob Wright]

That will be a permanent space with some adjacent space that will run through to Sparks Street for a permanent national indigenous peoples space.

[David Graham, Liberal, Laurentides—Labelle, QC]

Thank you.

[The Chair, Liberal, Larry Bagnell]

Mr. Christopherson, you have three minutes.

[David Christopherson, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

I have a quick question that I promised my daughter I would ask. I was going to do it quietly, but I'll do it publicly. I think I know the answer, but I'm going to ask anyway.

Are there any plans to reintroduce the cat world that existed prior to West Block's being closed?

I confess that walking over to see the cats was her favourite part of coming to Parliament Hill. It's a cool tradition.

[Rob Wright]

It was my grandmother's favourite part as well.