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“Certainly there are those issues and we’ll have to get accustomed to that and maybe we’ll have to have some of our conversations in other places,” Jean said.

The space occupied by the opposition parties on the fifth floor of the building was originally designed for 22 MLAs but will ultimately hold 27.

None of the meetings rooms is large enough for Wildrose caucus meetings, so the official Opposition is still convening in a committee room in the annex building.

Jean said he suspects the previous PC government didn’t expect the Wildrose to need so much space. Some offices have been reconfigured to hold additional staff, meaning some are stuck in cramped offices barely six feet wide.

That’s aside from problems with the automatic soap dispensers installed in the washrooms at more than $470 a pop. One dispenser in the fifth floor women’s washroom was marked “out of order.” A disposable soap dispenser sat next to it.

Infrastructure Minister Brian Mason said the department is aware of the soundproofing problem and issues with the soap dispensers in the building. The government has hired a contractor to install sound masking, or white noise generators. Mason said that work is expected to be complete within six months. The $250,000 cost is included in the $400-million budget, he added.

I agree with Mr. Jean that the previous government did a poor job on the planning and development of the federal building

“I agree with Mr. Jean that the previous government did a poor job on the planning and development of the federal building,” Mason said.

However, he said he was surprised the Wildrose seemed to be demanding more out of a building it once labelled “the Taj Mahal of Tory waste.”

The federal building became a flashpoint for criticism of the PC government after it was revealed the premier’s office had ordered a penthouse apartment for former premier Alison Redford. The 11th floor suite came to be known as the skypalace.

“I am surprised by this change of tune by the Wildrose party,” Mason said. “In January, they said the MLA offices were ‘luxurious.’ Now it sounds like they won’t be satisfied unless we let them move into the skypalace.”