Mr. Speaker, here is a story that is played out many times around the world.
The cabinet takes over prime real estate to build its leader's legacy project in the capital. It chooses a massive, imposing design. The plan creates local discontent. It gets a failing grade on cost and especially on location. Architects, the mayor and council, and even the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court join the chorus of voices opposed to the plan. The public is opposed to it. Even the government's own partisans start asking for change, but still ministers gleefully promise to ride roughshod over everyone because nothing trumps their leader's vanity.
I am not describing a Communist dictatorship in its final days. This is the story of Canada's own “CommieCons”. The irony of it was funny for awhile, but enough is enough. The government's disregard for democratic voices is a slap in the face to the freedom fighters who are supposed to be honoured by this memorial. Let us tear down this monumental failure.