Stornoway: Will Poilievre Cut The Grass? THE VOTER

I wonder what the going rent would be for a house of the size and prestige of Stornoway in Rockcliffe?

I’ve seen smaller, nondescript houses on nondescript streets in Orleans going for $3,000 to $4,000 so it won’t be cheap. Would he, as a tenant, get the other benefits such as meals, maintenance and staffing that he currently enjoys? It would be fun to see him out mowing the lawn and tending the gardens.

Is he still entitled to a security detail when he’s not Leader of the Opposition and isn’t even an MP? That would save us a pile of money. Presumably he also loses his chauffeur-driven limo although there’s a pretty good bus route to downtown a few blocks from Stornoway.

My own preference would be for him to vacate Stornoway ASAP as he would have done had he become PM. He is essentially trespassing there now and perhaps should receive the same treatment from the police that other homeless squatters get. They usually give you notice to leave and, if you don’t, they’ll arrive in the middle of the night or the early morning to toss you and your belongings out in the street. In some cases, they remove the squatter and throw all their possessions into a dumpster.

Pay Rent For Stornoway, Pierre Poilievre

By law, he has no right being there. Stornoway is legislated as housing for the Leader of the Opposition Party in the House of Commons and only a sitting MP can be Leader of the Opposition.

Also by law, no MP can resign their seat until 30 days after they win an election so nobody can step down to create a vacancy for him until the end of May at the earliest. There is a prescribed process for the calling of a by-election which includes a minimum campaign period. Then the results have to be validated before he would officially become an MP. All of that could take until midsummer. That means he would be there illegally for three, possibly four months.

Why should he have the considerable economic benefit of room and board for himself and his family, which he is legally barred from, while he waits for the process to play out? There is no guarantee that he will win a by-election when it comes. He should find himself furnished accommodations for himself and his family within a week that would provide shelter for them until at least August or September. And he should pay for it himself. Other Canadians who lose their jobs that include housing, such as apartment superintendents, don’t get to stay on there and certainly don’t get their room and board paid for by the taxpayers of Canada.

As an aside, I wonder what incentive they will offer an MP to give up their seat to allow Poilievre to run there? It would have to be considerable to entice someone to give up that salary and benefit package. In addition, I would expect it will be someone with at least the six years of service which entitles them to an MP’s pension. What happens to that person if Poilievre doesn’t win the seat?

The Voter is a respected community activist and long-time Bulldog commenter who prefers to keep her identity private.

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