The NCC’s description of 24 Sussex:
Quote:
The house at 24 Sussex Drive is the official residence of Canada’s prime minister.
Part of the house is reserved for the use of the family. The other part is where the prime minister welcomes official guests for public functions. These rooms are decorated and furnished in keeping with their important public function.
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This residence is closed to the public.
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The original name of the house is “Gorffwysfa” which is Welsh for “Place of Peace”.
So, by “public functions”, the NCC actually means “Private functions”, for those specifically invited by the PM. Note that the residence is “closed to the public.”
This building has (somewhat – not-with-standing the NCC shirking its duty to properly maintain the house) served its purpose of providing a more intimate place for dignitaries to gather, at the request of the PM. It has not, and was never intended to, host dinners and provide lodgings for 125.
The NCC is going WAY overboard by wanting to add in a lot of massive facilities that already, properly, exist elsewhere.
This building is, primarily, a RESIDENCE, and it should stay that way. I have no issue with it including a ‘Home Office’, and having facilities to deal with, say, up to 15 guests, but that would be the maximum limit. An exception could be dealing with a specific party or ball, where additional guests could partake in the festivities for a few hours, but would not be expecting a sit-down meal or over-night accommodations.
Even things like ‘Cabinet’ meetings, should not occur at the residence, in my opinion. They should happen, officially, at the proper facilities.
Think of your own homes. Would you really want to duplicate your place of work at your home?
Let’s keep the PM’s official residence a residence that truly is a “Place of Peace”.
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