Canada’s consul general agrees to attend committee on ‘Billionaires’ Row’ condo

Tom Clark, Canada’s consul general in New York, will be available to attend a committee investigation into the purchase of a $9-million Manhattan condo as early as September, Global Affairs Canada informed the chair of the Government Operations and Estimates committee on Tuesday.

Clark has indicated his willingness to appear before the committee on either September 4 or September 12, according to committee chair and Conservative MP Kelly McCauley.

“Mr. Clark’s staff has confirmed that he is prepared to attend the committee on either September 4 or September 12,” McCauley said, reading a statement from Global Affairs Canada at the beginning of the committee meeting on Tuesday.

The committee has summoned senior public servants to explain the government's decision to acquire the $9-million condo for Clark. The government is also selling its previous Manhattan residence, listed for $13 million, a move that Global Affairs claims will save money.

On Tuesday, Global Affairs Canada confirmed to Global News that Clark would not be at the meeting on Tuesday, as he is on leave until September 3. McCauley, while presenting the GAC statement, noted that Clark is unavailable on the proposed date.

However, GAC mentioned that Clark “is willing to attend, and arrangements are being made with the committee to schedule an alternative date.”

Following Clark’s initial unavailability, Conservative MP Michael Barrett stated that the Conservatives would seek to formally summon Clark to the meeting.

“As a government employee funded by taxpayers, he must appear when summoned by a parliamentary committee. It’s unacceptable that he initially agreed to come but is now refusing. Therefore, the Conservatives will issue a formal summons for Mr. Clark,” Barrett told Global News on Monday.

Amelie Bouchard, the acting chief appraiser of Canada, said she was the highest-ranking official in the federal procurement department to approve the purchase, though her role was limited to property appraisal.

Samantha Tattersall, a senior Treasury Board official, noted that her department did not need to review the purchase as it was below $10 million but acknowledged that Treasury Board policies would oversee how Global Affairs made its decision.

“This committee would likely want to hear whether Global Affairs conducted a full life-cycle cost analysis of various options,” she said.

“Did they consider keeping and upgrading the old residence? Did they analyze the total cost of acquiring something new, either through purchase or lease? What were the results of that analysis?”

The $10-million transaction limit, which was raised from $4 million in 2022, followed a review of average foreign residence purchase prices, officials explained.

Documents submitted to the committee last week suggest that Canada might actually profit from selling its former Manhattan residence, listed at $13 million.

Global Affairs Canada stated that the Park Avenue apartment, purchased in 1961 and last renovated in 1982, required significant upgrades. It did not meet accessibility standards, lacked separation between living and work spaces, and faced restrictions from the co-operative board regarding events.

Concerns about the Park Avenue apartment were first raised in 2014. Seven years later, Global Affairs approved $1.8 million for renovations, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recent documents indicate the renovation cost had increased to $2.6 million, with unresolved fundamental issues.

The government worked with a local broker to explore 21 residences priced between $8 million and $21 million before settling on a luxury condo in Steinway Tower, near Central Park on Billionaires’ Row. The new residence will be used by Clark, a former journalist who was appointed consul general in February 2023.