Mr. Speaker, the federal government has decided to build its own $11.9 million office complex in Sault Ste. Marie. This steel, brick and glass building will include 120,000 square feet on two storeys to house the Canada Employment Centre, the Income Securities Office, Revenue Canada, Health Canada, Public Works and Government Services, and the RCMP.
Local property managers are outraged by this needless political project. A recent survey indicates there is over a 20 per cent vacancy rate in major downtown buildings. There is existing vacant office space, and a new federal building will create more vacancies.
Does the government not have better ways to put people back to work than pumping money into unneeded facilities in competition with the private sector?