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An ‘unusual partnership’ and restoring 24 Sussex Drive

In 2024, former prime ministers Jean Chrétien and Stephen Harper offered to solicit millions of dollars from Canada’s corporate sector to pay for an overhaul of the abandoned building—a project they said the private sector was ready to support.

Former prime ministers Jean Chrétien, left, and Stephen Harper in Ottawa on Feb. 2, 2026. Chrétien and Harper, who each have lived at the 24 Susses Dr., say it should be given basic repairs, not be significantly expanded, and should continue as the Ottawa home of prime ministers.The Hill Times photograph by Andrew Meade

Feature

BY DEAN BEEBY, IAN BAILEY

October 22, 2026

The following is an excerpt from 24 Sussex Drive: The Past and Future of Canada’s Official Residence, by Ian Bailey and Dean Beeby, published by Sutherland House Books.

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