Thank you very much, Chair.
I recall the testimony we heard and many of the questions that were asked at the time of both the Auditor General and the officials from the NCC. The thing that was most concerning to me, and I think to other members here on the committee, was the issue of deferred maintenance and how putting off work for years, and even decades, adds to the cost of a project. Indeed, at different times it was with the objective of being what I would call penny-wise, pound foolish that projects were put off.
We all know what has happened to the costs of construction, costs during the pandemic and so on. That's where we find ourselves today, but it's not just with the storage facility that was discussed at Rideau Hall, which serves other buildings as well; it's other heritage properties, such as Stornoway, the residence of the official opposition leader, and other heritage buildings.
I propose an amendment to this motion. Once amended, it would read, “That the committee request that the Auditor General of Canada investigate the long-term financial impact of deferring maintenance on federal heritage buildings such as 24 Sussex Drive and Stornoway.”