24 Sussex crumbling

Canada's Auditor-General confirmed today that 24 Sussex Drive, the prime minister's official residence, is, well, a dump.

That's not news, though, to participants in the annual Doors Open Ottawa tour, or viewers of Rick Mercer's comedy show.

When Paul Martin occupied 24 Sussex a few years ago, his wife, Sheila, decided to include 24 Sussex among the grand old residences that annually open their doors to give architectural and heritage enthusiasts a closer look at the properties.

The Ottawa Citizen sent a columnist to do a bit of reconnaissance on the house, and she reported that the house was turning into a drafty old relic.

That prompted Mercer to stage this hilarious bit, in which he and the then-prime-minister headed to Canadian Tire and weather-sealed the windows themselves.

That Mercer/Martin repair may have to do for now. Apparently, though the Auditor General says that the house should be vacant for a year to get the proper renovations. But the Harper family has no intention of vacating in the near future, they said through a spokesperson.