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The Big Book of Received Political Wisdom is very clear on this: To fix the prime minister of Canada’s official residence is political suicide. The big book is wrong about a lot of things, but I wouldn’t bet it’s wrong about this. Conservatively assuming the project came in 50 per cent over budget, spending $50 million to renovate a house of such dubious aesthetic and historic value, which no one argues is particularly suited to hosting official functions, would be a bloody insane thing to do both politically and financially. People would howl, and rightly so.

This being the case, instead of blaming each other for a situation for which they’re both responsible, the Liberals and Conservatives and any other parties that want to join in ought to take this opportunity to turn the page on the accursed house once and for all: Knock it down and turn it into parkland, give it away to some improbably deep-pocketed historical society — anything but this absurd, gormless pantomime.

Why not make Rideau Cottage the official PM’s residence and be done with it?

Gorffwysfa, as original owner Joseph Merrill Currier christened the joint, has been the prime minister’s official residence for only 68 years. We only got around to stealing it from its rightful owners in 1943; Louis St. Laurent didn’t move in until 1951, and he wasn’t particularly happy about it. For the other 80-odd years of Canadian history, PMs got along just fine without it — as the Trudeaus do now with a family of five. Why not make Rideau Cottage the official PM’s residence and be done with it? Apparently it needs a new kitchen: The Trudeaus’ meals are still prepared at 24 Sussex, then trundled all the way past Rideau Hall to their dining room table. So let’s see an estimate on that from the NCC. Hopefully they can keep it in seven figures. Alternatively, if 24 Sussex must be replaced, $35 million buys you a hell of a lot of house — new or used — even once you pay to knock down the old one, and everyone would be happier with the result.