The Chateau Laurier Hotel and Major's Hill Park.

The Chateau was originally the Grand Trunk Hotel. And the Grand Trunk became a Crown corporation in 1918, the Canadian National Railway.

1.)  Major's Hill Park was part of the grounds of Parliament Hill, Ottawa.

House of Commons Debates  Ottawa. All of the statements were given on July 6, 1908.

 Mr. Robert Laird Borden (Leader of the Official Opposition) Conservative: Mr. Borden: "...We take this national property immediately contigious to and indeed forming part of the grounds of this parliament, and we propose to build a hotel upon it. This park is a portion of the national domain, a portion of the grounds of parliament."

2.) Parliament was never consulted about the agreement between the Grand Trunk and the government of Canada.

Mr. George Halsey Perley (Conservative.): Mr. Perley: "The right hon. gentleman said that people of Ottawa had decided they want the hotel there... The people of Ottawa did not have any say about the situation at all...This hotel is going to get the benefit of the whole of Major's Hill Park...the park will become a back garden for the hotel. It was a very wrong and improper thing for the government, without consulting parliament, to have made an agreement with the Grand Trunk Pacific Company...to put in this place a hotel which will cut off the view of new buildings on Mackenzie Avenue...that will cut the government property in two."

3.) The city of Ottawa was not part of any agreement between the federal government and the railway.

MP William Humphrey Bennett: "Both the railway company and the government can ignore the city altogether."

MP Edward Lancaster- (Conservative.) "I think the whole thing is wrong in principle. I am more in ever of the opinion that this is a bad bargain, and one that should not have been made with this railway....I do not wish to say anything disrespectful to the Prime Minister, but his first duty is to protect the public interest of Canada and not bother his head about what the city of Ottawa wants."

4.) Major's Hill Park will become the back yard of the hotel.

MP Haughton Lennox (Conservative): "...I can think of no greater outrage perpetrated on a people than this very transaction-going right into the property of the people, Major's Hill Park, to place in that centre of that park a commercial edifice, a money-making institution. I ask the minister if there are outlets from this hotel directly to the park...It will virtually become their back yard, because it is at the back of the hotel. The hotel may just as well own the entire park."

5.) The Canadian government had to approve of the architectural design.

William Pugsley (Minister of Public Works) Liberal: "On page 2 of the order in council, the hon. gentleman will find this - the hotel shall be constructed within two years from the date of the said grant, such construction to be in accordance with plans approved by the government of Canada."

Dimensions of the G.T.R. property.

William Pugsley (Minister of Public Works) Liberal: "The lands extend 285 feet on the canal basin and 135 feet on Rideau Street...Extending from the side of the canal, at the rear, the land is 66 feet in width. Then it extends parallel to the canal basin 205 feet 3 inches and then running parallel to Rideau Street 86 feet 6 inches. My information is that there is to be a subway running from the station to the basement of the hotel."