John Ivison: We’ve expunged too much of our history. 24 Sussex is worth saving

Prime Minister Mark Carney takes part in a press conference at 24 Sussex in Ottawa June 25, 2026. Photo by Blair Gable /Postmedia

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Happy nations have no history, as Tolstoy noted in War and Peace, his chronicle of Russian conflict, political upheaval and tragedy.

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The logic of this has generally worked in Canada’s favour. But you can have too much of a good thing.

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As Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a Friday press conference announcing the restoration of the historic prime ministerial residence, 24 Sussex is not just a backdrop to history: “It is a symbol of the public office of the head of our federal government and of the democratic traditions that office represents.”

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The Victorian mansion that sits on a four-acre site overlooking the confluence of the Ottawa, Rideau and Gatineau rivers is as old as the country itself; has been home to 10 Canadian prime ministers; and has hosted luminaries from Winston Churchill to John F. Kennedy.

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Canada has lots of geography but not much history. 24 Sussex Drive clearly qualifies as a national landmark that is worth preserving, despite its unremarkable architecture.

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That it has been left to languish for decades is a disgrace that has been tacitly acknowledged by former prime ministers Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper, who did nothing in office but have offered to lead fundraising efforts to restore the residence.

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Justin Trudeau and his family never moved into the draughty old mansion where he spent years as a child. This was in part due to the antiquated plumbing, heating and asbestos.

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But it was mostly over RCMP concerns that someone could fire a shoulder-mounted rocket-propelled grenade from Sussex Drive and bring down the entire edifice.

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The Mounties nearly lost a prime minister when, in November 1995, André Dallaire wandered around inside 24 Sussex and was only apprehended after being confronted by Aline Chrétien, who locked the door to the bedroom.

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Security cameras and crash-proof barriers were installed after that incident, but the residence remains extremely exposed to the road. Making it more invulnerable to terrorist attack is likely to prove one of the major considerations in any restoration.

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Carney said the federal government will pick up the tab for additional security measures. But the bulk of the restoration funding is expected to come from private donations raised by the non-profit Rideau Hall Foundation.

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Carney said he has seen estimates on the cost — the National Capital Commission released an appraisal of $36.6 million five years ago — but he did not want to condition potential architectural designs by setting a budget. He said the government will run a national design-and-build competition, with parameters defined by the Royal Architecture Institute of Canada.

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The competition will be judged by an independent panel chaired by the legendary Moshe Safdie, who designed the National Gallery of Canada, among other prominent buildings around the world.

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The winning proposal will be chosen by Canada Day next year, Carney said.