Tom Clark, the New York consul general, dismissed claims that he pressured the federal government to buy a new $9 million apartment in the city, saying his criticism of his former official residence in New York was too much for colleagues. He claimed that the statement was a take-home message.
“While hosting an event at Government House to promote Canada’s national interests, the facility failed to adequately accommodate guests with mobility issues and the space for families and representatives was compromised,” Clark told a parliamentary committee Thursday. “I realized that it was posing some challenges.”
“References from the envoy to my views on the state of the Prime Minister’s Office are the result of indirect third-party reporting of comments made to colleagues.”
Since the $9 million purchase of a new luxury apartment became public in July, the purchase has been criticized by opposition members as too extravagant given the cost of living challenges facing Canadians.
Lawmakers have been pursuing the purchase in committees for months. They spoke with real estate experts, Global Affairs Canada (GAC) staff, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, and Mr. Clark, who has now appeared before the committee twice.
In September, Clark told the committee that he had “no role in deciding whether to sell his previous home or buy a new home,” and that the process was “an Ottawa “The real estate agency has completely taken over the project.”
At that meeting, Conservative MP Larry Bullock confronted Clark with an internal email between Global Affairs Canada (GAC) staff dated June 17 giving an update on the property purchase.
In the email, one official said that both Mr. Clark and the consulate staff in New York had been “working tirelessly throughout this process,” and that Mr. Clark himself had given the “green light for the selection of a new home.”
Mr Clark told the committee in September that the email was incorrect and has since been corrected. “That person was someone who was not involved in this process,” he said.
Earlier this month, news outlet Politico obtained a GAC document from May 2023 that said Clark had raised concerns about the office shortly after taking up his new role in February of that year. .
“the current [consul general of New York] …expressed concerns regarding the completion of the kitchen and renovation project and indicated that the unit was not suitable for the kitchen [the consul’s] Accommodations,” the document, seen by CBC News, said.
The document also notes that the current consul said the former residence did not have an “ideal floor plan” for “delegation activities.”
After viewing the document, committee members voted to have Clark return via video conference to explain his earlier comments.
Mr Clark said on Thursday that any criticism of the Office was sweeping and “did not provide input into a multi-year headquarters-led process to address the deficiencies in the Office”.
Clark also told lawmakers he was “not aware that any reference to my observations was included as part of the mission’s input to the property team” included in the documents obtained by Politico.
Mr Clark said on Thursday: “I have not had the opportunity or opportunity to influence or direct the department’s ongoing review of housing, nor have I had the opportunity to influence or direct the purchase of new homes.” “I’ve never done it before,” he reiterated.
Since the purchase of the apartment became public, Conservative MPs have suggested that the Liberal government bought it to provide perks to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s “media buddy” Clark.
Conservative MP Kelly Bullock called on Mr Clark to resign, saying he did not believe his testimony in September or Thursday. “You have clearly shamelessly lied to this committee on numerous occasions,” she said.
Clark, who agreed to testify under oath Thursday, maintained that everything he said before the committee was “the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.”
Over the past few months, multiple GAC officials have denied claims that Mr. Clark requested a new home or that Mr. Trudeau bought it to make himself happy. They said authorities had concluded as early as 2014 that the apartment at 550 Park Avenue was no longer fit for purpose.
Officials said the property was purchased in 1961, had not been updated since 1982, did not meet modern accessibility standards, and much of its infrastructure was nearing the end of its useful life.
The mansion at 550 Park Ave. is also a cooperative building, and board members wanted to limit the use of the apartment for diplomatic events, officials said.
GAC officials said they are considering three possible solutions to the problem. They could choose to renovate their current home for $2.6 million, rent a suitable unit, or buy a new apartment.
A representative from GAC’s real estate division told the committee that they selected the new apartment on the 11th floor of 111 West 57th Street after viewing 21 properties in Manhattan.
GAC officials said the new apartments will have lower annual operating costs than the homes at 550 Park Avenue, ultimately saving taxpayers $7.4 million over the life of the property.
