"Possible expropriation of certain buildings facing Parliament Hill". March 24, 1971.

     There are several reasons why this topic is important today, on March 26, 2020:
1.)  The government of Canada expropriated buildings across the street from Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wellington Street and the northern part of the Sparks Street Mall. For two reasons:
  to expand the Parliamentary Precinct and to save the heritage buildings. 
2.)  The National Capital Commission and Public Works are planning to redevelop Wellington and the Mall. There will be zoning changes, demolitions, infill projects, underground parking, office and residential towers and facadism (meaning that only the shell of a structure is retained.) Once a federal building is privatized it loses all heritage protection.
3.) The National Capital Commission, Public Works and the Ottawa politician for Somerset Ward want to "animate" the Mall by permitting the construction of high rise condominiums. I can think of many ways that the area can be transformed into a prime tourist attraction.

4.)  An international competition has been launched to find architects who can redesign and modernize the Parliamentary Precinct. This is the most important landscape in Canada, near the sacred Confederation Square, the Eternal Flame and Rideau Canal. I am sorry, this is a terrible idea, to let architects from a foreign country alter the Parliamentary Precinct-----
as a descendant of United Empire Loyalists who helped to create this country;
as a relative of Canadians who fought in World War 1 and World War 11;
as a former civil servant who was employed in Union Station/the Conference Centre;
as the daughter of a speechwriter for Members of Parliament...
I cannot fathom the possibility of any architects demolishing or altering Canada's built history.I do not want to see their design charettes or portfolios or awards.
This property belongs to all Canadians, and we are not going to sit back and let anyone remove Maple Leaf Flags and the names of prominent people from monuments that stood for over 100 years. This is not Expo or the Toronto waterfront...this is my country's seat of government.
5.)  Senator Serge Joyal created Senate Bill S-203 in November of 2019, to protect all of the buildings along Wellington Street including the Supreme Court and Library and Archives.
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House of Commons Debates, Ottawa        March 24, 1971.
Right Hon. J.G. Diefenbaker (Prince Albert, Saskatchewan)
     "Mr. Speaker, my question to the Prime Minister concerns reports to the effect that the government of Canada is giving consideration to the expropriation of blocks in uptown Ottawa with a view to assuring the maintenance of the majesty and grandeur of the Parliament Buildings and Parliament Hill. Is the Prime Minister in a position to state whether this direction is being considered?"

Right Hon. P.E. Trudeau (Prime Minister of Canada.)
     "Mr. Speaker, it is not yet under consideration at cabinet level, but instruction has been given to the minister responsible to come forth with a plan for the future location of Members of Parliament and parliamentary offices on premises which are not now the property of the government of Canada."

Government buildings on the Sparks Street Mall in Ottawa:

Bank of Nova Scotia - 125 Sparks.
Bate Building - 109-111 "       "    .
Birks "         " -  107  Sparks.
Blackburn   " -    85   "       ".
Booth          " -  165   "       ".
Brouse        " -  181-183 Sparks.
Canada's Four Corners - 93     ".
Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce - 119 Sparks.
Dover "  "   -   185-187 Sparks.
Hope  "  "   -     61-63   "        ".
Postal Station B - 47-59 "      ".
Saxe  Building  -      75          ".
Slater "          "  -  177-179     ".

 

The Saxe, located at 75 Sparks Street.