Mr. Speaker the National Capital Commission is an unelected, unaccountable body which administers properties and events in the nation's capital. It has just announced a humdinger of a 50-year plan for Canada's capital. The idea came from none other than the Prime Minister himself.
The 50-year plan would involve demolishing at least two churches, five heritage buildings and Ottawa's main public library. Great vision. Some legacy. That amount of demolition is like clear-cutting buildings.
Speaking of vision, the same people at the NCC who intend to implement this plan have had to sell greenbelt area around Ottawa to raise cash to pay for their daily operations. Instead of such a controversial and big budget vision for our nation's capital we need democracy in the National Capital Commission.
I call on the heritage minister to dismantle the current unelected, unaccountable NCC board and replace it with elected representatives, a commission accountable to the people who have to live with their decisions. The beleaguered Canadian taxpayers always has to foot the bill.