Canada’s lower house of Parliament has crumbling brickwork and loose window that pose a “potentially catastrophic,” life-threatening risk to members of Parliament and other, warned a report by the government’s Public Works department last year. That same department says it has carried out the most pressing repairs and is closely watching the House of Commons to prevent risk.
The 177-page report was commissioned by a little-known incident in February 2012 when a piece of glass dislodged from a stained-glass window and plummeted down to the desks of members of Parliament and the floor. No one was hurt. The report was obtained by the public broadcaster, CBC, through access to information law.
Window frames buckling
The 12 stained-glass windows representing Canada’s provinces and territories (there are now 10 provinces and three territories) each contain about 2,100 pieces of glass. They have become wobbly over the last 40 years as their frames buckle in the heat and rain. Parliament sits atop a hill by the Ottawa River and buffeted by wind and rain.
The stained-glass windows were first installed after MPs started complaining as early as the 1920 about the glare of the setting sun streaming in through the tall windows of the west wall. Canvas covers and drapes were tried but found to be ineffective.
Multimillion-dollar renovation coming
Parliament Hill’s Centre Block, which houses the Commons as well as the Senate chamber, is due for a major multimillion-dollar renovation in about four years. But consultants warn that some repairs cannot wait that long because of what they call “life safety risk.”
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