OTTAWA, Dec. 22 (UPI) -- Canada's Conservative government is being criticized for selling a federal prison at nearly half the value of its tax assessment, Sun Media reported Monday.
The Prison for Women in Kingston, Ontario, was closed in 2000 because of its poor condition. Last March, the federal Canada Lands Co. sold the 20-acre site to Queen's University for $2.8 million, the news agency learned from the Access to Information law.
However, for the past three years, the city of Kingston's tax assessment valued the property at $5.25 million, the report said.
That angered Liberal opposition Member of Parliament and finance critic, Scott Brison.
"This (sale) would indicate that the Conservatives weren't competent in selling assets during the good times, so we certainly couldn't expect them to be competent now, during the tough times," he said.
He was referring to an announcement by Finance Minister Jim Flaherty last month the government was assessing its properties with an eye to selling some off to raise capital during the ongoing economic downturn.
