COLUMN: View from the Legislature – 24 Sussex – Love it or list it?

If you have ever taken the “behind the scenes” tour of the Manitoba legislature, the one that takes you to the roof of the building and up near the Golden Boy, you may have noticed a strange display. After climbing the first enclosed spiral staircase that takes you to the roof level of the building, the first thing you saw, until recently, was a folding table that had heavy pieces of brick and ornaments displayed on it.

These were prominent pieces of the building that had fallen off over the years and were strategically placed to remind those who saw them, that the 100-year-old structure was in need of significant repair. The Manitoba legislature is among the most beautiful legislatures in Canada (I would rank it at the top), but like everything, it needs to be maintained. While some interior work had been done in recent decades, I was glad when the former Progressive Conservative government announced that it had created a restoration fund that dedicated $10 million per year for 10 years to restore the buildings exterior and interior. I was also very glad that it was not a political issue and had widespread support. After all, you either fix the building, or you end up having to tear it down and build something else. And all agreed that the Manitoba Legislature should be maintained for generations to come.

Which brings us to the current state of 24 Sussex Drive. For 75 years, this has been the Ottawa residence of the prime minister. Yet, the last prime minister to occupy it was Stephen Harper. Following his tenure, it was declared unsafe to reside in due to mould, asbestos and lead contamination. It was also seen as having electrical and security deficiencies. To be clear, the current state of 24 Sussex is not a finger-pointing exercise. All political parties can take some responsibility for not seeing the need to maintain the official residence of Canada’s prime minister. As a G7 country, it should be a place of some national pride, but also a working residence that is fit to host other world leaders and help conduct the business of the nation. But it is far from that now, needing tens of millions of dollars in repairs.

So what to do with it? Should Canadians love it or list it?

For many generations 24 Sussex had the same symbolic feel as the White House in Washington or 10 Downing Street in the United Kingdom. On my first trip to Ottawa as a teenager, I recall that at some point after spending a couple of hours on a ByWard Market patio with friends, it was thought to be a good idea to go to 24 Sussex, the home of the prime minister. We waved down a taxi (this was before iPhone or Uber) and instructed the driver to take us to 24 Sussex. The driver smiled (this was clearly not his first such fare) and dropped us off at the gates of the home of the prime minister. There we observed a security guard (who also smiled at us) and after some milling around we took a picture and found another taxi back to our hotel. But we had visited 24 Sussex.

For most Canadians, that is as far as we will get. The outer gates.

This past week Prime Minister Mark Carney put forward a design and build proposal that will see Canadians be able to donate to the reconstruction of 24 Sussex. The plan itself, which has a bit of a GoFundMe feel to it, had some mixed reaction. But the how isn’t perhaps as important as the why.

I would argue, and many of my friends will argue against me I’m sure, that a G7 country with a strong history and that looks to a bright future should find value in its institutions. Few of us will visit the prime minister’s residence and fewer will occupy it. But, like the Manitoba legislature, it has value beyond just a real estate holding. It is a reflection of Canada’s past, and if restored properly, could be part of a bright future.

I hope the planned restoration of 24 Sussex is a success. And I hope that it again becomes part of Canada’s proud institutions. So that future generations of Canadians can aspire to get further than just its gates.