Ottawa - (*Editor's note: This is not a joke article, it is true) When most institutions such as schools and offices require temporary space, they utilize portable modular units, which are a relatively inexpensive way to facilitate a temporary meeting space. Sometimes if necessary, a secondary temporary space will be rented in an existing building nearby. Not so for our House Of Commons. Speculating it was a banner year for tax collection, the Feds have your money burning a hole in their pocket and they can't wait to blow it on a kick-ass giant glass dome for a "temporary" Parliamentary space.
The massive, glass and steel structure will be built over the span of 5 years, and cost approximately 42 million dollars. This is not the first time the House Of Commons has had to move off Parliament Hill. In 1916 after the Great Fire destroyed much of the Parliament Buildings, it was moved to the Canadian Museum Of Nature until the new House Of Commons was rebuilt. This time, the current House Of Commons will undergo a restoration, but instead of moving into another adequate space, plans have been approved to build a huge, glass dome for MPs to sit in for half the year, while the other half of the year it will sit empty.
Public Works will construct the Hot Air Cathedral taking 7 years to complete it. A new cafeteria is also planned since a new deep fryer is desperately needed, resulting in a multi-million dollar temporary cafeteria to be built for the MPs to enjoy in their new Thunderdome.
With tax revenues bursting the federal coffers, a smaller, less expensive alternative was not an option, and the National Capital Commission wanted to spend as much tax-payer money as possible to construct the absurdly grandiose temporary House Of Commons.
On a positive note, the new facility will be energy efficient, with heating being provided by hot air released by the hundreds of MPs that will occupy the structure when in use.
Where is this going to be?
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