The Sad State of 24 Sussex Says a Lot about Canada's Cheapness | The Walrus

"The house is small and insufficiently secure for a head of government. Politicians need certain tools to do the job of governing a contemporary mass state."

"The official residence of the prime minister, 24 Sussex Drive, is a mess. It's literally uninhabitable. The good news is that, in February 2024, the home was declared rodent and asbestos free."

"The cost of repairs and renovations to 24 Sussex runs into tens of millions, or what you might call a rounding error on a rounding error in the account books of a country with an annual federal expenditure of over $500 billion."

"The public and politicians are both to blame for the sad state of the prime minister's residence, reflecting a national smallness that ought to be understood as a big shame."

Rideau Cottage, currently housing Prime Minister Mark Carney, is deemed inadequate and small for a head of government. The official residence, 24 Sussex Drive, is uninhabitable due to issues like rodents and asbestos. The cost of necessary repairs is in the tens of millions, a trivial amount compared to Canada's federal budget. The ongoing debates about the prime minister's living conditions reflect pettiness rather than serious policy discussions, indicating a national shame regarding the treatment of its leaders.

Read at The Walrus