Questions and responses 45th Parliament, 1st session May 26, 2025, to present

With regard to the $759,179 in costs attributed to the honorary consulate in Suva, Fiji, by Global Affairs Canada in the period from April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2025: (a) what was the address of the consulate during this period; (b) who was the beneficial owner of the property; (c) what are the reasons for the payments; (d) what is the breakdown of the costs by purpose, function or category; (e) what is the departmental policy on payments for upgrades, refits or renovations to the honorary consul's property; (f) what, if any, audit was conducted on the expenditure of funds; and (g) who in Global Affairs Canada approved the expenditure?

With regard to Global Affairs Canada's decision to spend $18,619,067 to reopen and retrofit the Canadian consulate in Milan, Italy, into what was described as a climate change "showpiece": (a) what was the (i) original approved budget, (ii) final cost, or most recent cost estimate for the project, if the final cost is not available; (b) what were the expenditures, overall and broken down by type, and by year, since 2020; (c) what specific upgrades, retrofits, technologies, furnishings, art installations, and professional services were included in the total cost; (d) what were the costs associated with the "modified design-build" procurement approach, including the details of all contracts awarded, itemized with the names of contractors and subcontractors, and the value of each contract; (e) what measurable energy efficiency standards, emissions reductions, or environmental certifications were targeted and achieved, and what is the projected payback period for these investments; (f) what analysis was conducted to determine the value-for-money of converting the Milan consulate into a climate change showcase; (g) what was the justification for spending $37,295 on art displays and $6,400 on photography services; (h) what are the details of all contracts related to the costs in (g), including, for each, the (i) vendor, (ii) date, (iii) description of the goods or services provided; (i) what lower-cost alternatives were considered, including reopening the consulate without extensive retrofits or allocating funds to other diplomatic priorities, and, for each alternative, why was it not pursued; (j) what is the total cost of operations and maintenance for the Milan consulate since its reopening in 2023; (k) what are the details of all contracts signed by the government with a value in excess of $50,000 in relation to the consulate, since 2016, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) value, (iii) vendor, (iv) description of the goods or services provided, (v) manner in which the contract was awarded (sole-sourced or competitive bid); and (l) for each step of the project, as well as related expenses, what level of ministerial approval, discretion, direction, or oversight was exercised, if any, and what are the details of all briefing notes or approvals sent to the minister or the minister's office, including, for each, the (i) date, (ii) sender, (iii) recipient, (iv) type of document, (v) title, (vi) summary?

With regard to the $759,179 in costs attributed to the Honorary Consulate in Suva, Fiji, by Global Affairs Canada in the period from April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2025: (a) what was the address of the consulate during this period; (b) who was the beneficial owner of the property; (c) what are the reasons for the payments; (d) what is the breakdown of the costs by purpose, function or category; (e) what is the departmental policy on payments for upgrades, refits or renovations to the honorary consul's property; (f) what, if any, audit was conducted on the expenditure of funds; and (g) who in Global Affairs Canada approved the expenditure?

With regard to the $2,896,336 in costs attributed to the consulate in Milan by Global Affairs Canada in the period from April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2025: (a) what was the address of the consulate during this period; (b) who was the beneficial owner of the property; (c) what are the reasons for the payments made; (d) what is a breakdown of the costs by purpose, function or category; (e) what, if any, audit was conducted on the expenditure of funds; and (f) who in Global Affairs Canada approved the expenditure?

With regard to Global Affairs Canada hospitality spending during the 2025-26 fiscal year: (a) what was the total amount spent on hospitality (i) in total, (ii) in Canada, (iii) outside of Canada; and (b) for hospitality spending outside of Canada, what is the breakdown by country and by each embassy, consulate or office?

With regard to the legal and diplomatic status of the Embassy of Myanmar in Canada following Canada's non-recognition of the military junta that seized power in Myanmar in February 2021: (a) what is the current legal and diplomatic status of the Embassy of Myanmar and its accredited representatives in Canada; (b) what is the government's policy regarding engagement by Canadian officials with representatives appointed by or acting on behalf of the junta; (c) what assessment has the government made of whether the continued operation of the embassy is consistent with Canada's stated policy of non-recognition of the junta; (d) has the government received reports or complaints regarding surveillance, intimidation, or monitoring activities directed at members of the Burmese diaspora community in Canada by embassy officials or affiliated individuals, and, if so, what are the details of each, and what actions were taken as a result; (e) what mechanisms are in place to protect Burmese nationals in Canada from foreign interference or transnational repression linked to the junta or its representatives; and (f) has the government made, or is the government planning, any changes to the embassy's diplomatic status, privileges, operations, or accreditation since the 2021 coup, and, if so, what are the details?