"Ottawa may sell off billions in real estate." CBC News, September 21, 2004.

     ---350 buildings were on the hit list, the entire Public Works and Government Services portfolio.
     ---MP Jason Kenney approved of this theft of Canada's architectural history. Premier of Alberta Jason Kenney is now privatizing or partly divesting more than 20 provincial parks.
   ---Included on the 2004 list:
1.) National Library and Archives, Wellington.
2.) The entire northern half of the Sparks Street Mall.
3.)  National Film Board, 3155 Cote-de-Liesse Road and 120 Houde Street, Montreal.
4.)  The East Memorial Veteran's Affairs Complex,Wellington and Lyon, Ottawa.
The Minister of Public Works made a promise that the Parliament Buildings, Library of Parliament and Supreme Court would not be sold.
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House of Commons Debates, Ottawa          June 14, 1978
Mr. Arthur Huntington, PC:
Mr. Huntington:
     " Some years ago when the late Arthur Laing, a former Minister of Public Works retired he made a statement in Vancouver to effect that, if the Canadian people knew what was going on , there would be a revolt. I knew the man well and his statement troubled me. Therefore, when elected in 1974 I started to look around the Department of Public Works.
 In the late 1960's, I guess about the year 1968, a successful history of Crown construction with a system of checks and balances and accountability came to an end. We saw the evolution of politically well-connected developers moving in on the domain of the Department of Public Works to the point where, in the next decade, that department was reduced to little more than a real estate management function with the National Capital Commission acting as its agent in the capital region."
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Questions - Most of this information can be found on my other blog postings, but it bears repeating:
1.)  Why was the National Capital Commission permitted to donate 50 acres of publicly-owned land on Carling Avenue in Ottawa to a hospital corporation, despite the fact that:
---A 1954 Privy Council document approved by Prime Minister of Canada Louis St-Laurent declared that the land was untouchable;
---Letters were sent to H.R.H. Prince Charles and to UNESCO to try to try to stop the transaction. UNESCO sent a warning letter to Parks Canada because the project will have a negative impact on the Rideau Canal.
---The concerns of neighbourhood groups were ignored--- the Little Italy and Civic Hospital Neighbourhood Associations.
---Agriculture Ministers Bud Olson, Eugene Whelan and Gerry Ritiz refused to sell or give away even one acre of the site.
---The Farm is a National Historic Site of Canada and a National Interest Land Mass.
---Agriculture Canada employees wanted to transform the Cafeteria Annex into a museum and visitors centre, but the hospital is demolishing the building. AAFC employees were also forced to dig up an historic shrub collection near the DARA Tennis Club, and the hospital evicted the tennis club.
---A 33-acre park owned by Public Works was given to the Civic. The park surrounded the Sir John Carling Building. The land has been rezoned to facilitate the construction of residential towers. A wall of condos will line both sides of Carling---on the former Otto's BMW; Dow's Lake parking lot, and (in the future?) Commissioner's Park.
Why;
---Was the Greenbelt Research Farm sold to the National Capital Commission for $1 dollar.
Why:
---Is Gatineau Park a "regional" and not a National Park and entitled to all the legal and environmental protections accorded to other National Parks.
---Does the City of Ottawa believe it is entitled to 18,600 acres of the NCC-managed Greenbelt, which is a permanent memorial to Canadians who died while fighting in foreign wars.