Canada’s consul general agrees to attend committee on ‘Billionaires’ Row’ condo

Canada’s consul general in New York, Tom Clark, will be able to attend a committee probing the decision to buy a $9-million condo in Manhattan as early as September, Global Affairs Canada told the chair of the Government Operations and Estimates committee on Tuesday.

Clark has said that he would be happy to attend the committee on either Sept. 4 or Sept. 12, committee chair and Conservative MP Kelly McCauley said.

“Mr. Clark’s staff has confirmed that he would be pleased to make himself available to appear before the committee (on) Sept. 4th or Sept. 12th,” McCauley said as he read a statement from Global Affairs Canada at the start of proceedings of a committee meeting on Tuesday.

Senior public servants have been called to the House of Commons committee to explain the government’s decision to buy a $9-million condo for the consul general in New York. The government is selling its old Manhattan residence, which it has listed for $13 million, a move that Global Affairs says will actually save the government money.

On Tuesday, GAC confirmed to Global News that Clark would not be attending the meeting on Tuesday. While reading out the GAC statement, McCauley said Clark is on leave until Sept. 3.

“Consul General Clark is unavailable on the date initially proposed,” GAC said in a separate statement given to Global News.

However, GAC added that Clark “has indicated he is happy to attend, and work is underway with the committee to find an alternate date.”

After Clark’s initial unavailability, Conservative MP Michael Barrett said Conservatives would seek to formally summon Clark to the meeting.

“As an employee of the government of Canada, taxpayers are paying his wages. He must appear when he’s called for parliamentary committee. It’s