Global Affairs Canada says that Canada’s consul general in New York, Tom Clark, will not attend a parliamentary committee meeting investigating the decision to buy a $9-million condo in Manhattan. The statement mentioned that Clark is unavailable on the originally proposed date, and work is being done with the committee to find a new date. Furthermore, Conservative MP Michael Barrett stated that a formal summons will be issued to Clark for his appearance at the meeting. Additionally, Amelie Bouchard, the acting chief appraiser of Canada, mentioned that she was the senior official who approved the purchase. Treasury Board official Samantha Tattersall explained that the department did not review the purchase due to its value being under $10 million, but Treasury Board policies governed the decision-making process of Global Affairs. The transaction limit of $10 million was raised from $4 million in 2022 after reviewing the average purchase price of foreign residences. Documents presented to the committee suggested that Canada could make a profit on the sale of its former Manhattan residence, which was listed for $13 million. The apartment was purchased in 1961 and last renovated in 1982, requiring significant upgrades, according to Global Affairs Canada. Following concerns raised in 2014, $1.8 million worth of renovations were approved in 2021, but the project was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Research has shown that the cost of the renovation project increased to $2.6 million and was not expected to address fundamental issues with the apartment. The government worked with a local broker to purchase a luxury condo in Steinway Tower for use by Clark in his role as consul general.
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