Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to our colleague, where is the Conservative Party's plan for housing and homelessness? They do not have a plan. When it comes to getting people housed and making sure there are more homes, what has this government done? It has lifted the GST off the construction of apartments and taken 87,000 people off the street with wraparound supports. The Conservatives go to …
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Madam Speaker, do we know what else British Columbians care about? Their workers care about unions. Yesterday, in front of the parliamentary committee that is responsible for labour issues, we heard what the Conservatives' position on unions actually is. They would allow for unions to be starved of membership dues that are vital for their functioning. That means unions would not, among other thing…
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It is very true, Madam Speaker, that rent is too expensive in this country, but what is incumbent on all federal parties, including the NDP, is to put forward a plan. The Conservatives do not have a plan, but neither does the NDP. What is our plan to help on rent? We have waived the GST on the construction of apartments for lower-income and middle-class families and individuals. We have put forwar…
Read full speech →Statements By Members
Mr. Speaker, we know that changes in the digital environment have impacted news media. What is also true is that large media organizations have tended to, unfortunately, put profit ahead of people, including some of the most loyal employees. One of those is Jim Knight, who, for 43 years, worked at CTV News London and its predecessors. I first met Jim when he was behind the camera and, sometimes, a…
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Madam Speaker, there were 179 agreements signed by the federal government to incent zoning changes at the municipal level that will lead to more missing middle housing. That includes row houses, mid-rise apartments and fourplexes, which the Conservatives are scared of, for some reason. They are against that entire vision, which also includes triplexes and duplexes. This is the vision that this gov…
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Madam Speaker, builders in the member's community and throughout the country require incentives, and we have put forward incentives that lead to more building, in particular for apartments, by lifting the GST on the construction of rental apartments for the middle class, which the Conservatives oppose. When it comes to more home building, I just spoke about the housing accelerator fund. We take a …
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Madam Speaker, I wish the member had attended this week's meeting at the House of Commons committee responsible for housing. An Albertan, Tim Richter, from the Canadian Alliance to End Homelessness, made it clear that this housing vision put forward by the government is the most ambitious in 40 years. It is substantive. It is justified. There are proof points in everything we have put forward, inc…
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Madam Speaker, the member knows about this very well because she put in an Order Paper question not too long ago about this matter. She keeps raising the name of the company Starlight, which did not have any relations with CMHC, so we can take up that matter at committee. More substantively on the issue of housing, the current government is the first in Canadian history to put forward measures to …
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Madam Speaker, as a former mayor, our colleague understands very well the place of co-op housing in communities large and small. Two hundred and fifty thousand Canadians live in co-ops. It is an affordable option. These are non-profits, of course, which come in various types. They may be large apartments or townhouse complexes. They vary, but they fundamentally provide a sense of community to the …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, 35,000 homes on reserve have either been renovated or built anew because of actions taken by this government. Is it good enough? No, it is not good enough. However, I have worked with the member before on the public accounts committee. I do respect him and I know he takes these issues seriously. In fact, I would hope that he takes them so seriously as to go back to his caucus and ask …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, there is a housing crisis. It is necessary for our government, as well as every member of the House, to come up with ideas to address this crisis. Our government is working with organizations, as well as provincial and municipal governments, and that work needs to continue. I would add that market options have a place in the discussion. However, I think the member is talking about non…
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Mr. Speaker, the government has put in place a policy to lift GST off the construction of purpose-built rentals. The Conservatives want to maintain GST on the construction of purpose-built rentals; they will not get more apartments built that way, which is something that was verified at the House of Commons committee responsible for housing just a few days ago when the Conservatives raised this po…
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Mr. Speaker, we say that the Conservatives do not care, and here is proof. The tax change would allow for more revenue to be directed to child care, pharmacare, dental care and measures to address the housing crisis. In fact, I direct the new member, and he is a new member, to look at the Conservatives' housing plan, which actually would tax home builders. Therefore, today, when the member raises …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, I did not say that in my speech. We can do much better in this country, but I would ask the member this: What would his government cut? We do not know what the Conservatives would do. They have not been very specific at all, and they probably will not be, but they have not been shy about embracing an austerity agenda, so what would they cut? Would they cut the Canada child benefit tha…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, this is another member I have a great amount of respect for. We have worked closely on the House of Commons committee responsible for housing. On this matter, we will simply disagree. I support Starlight's coming before the committee. I voted in favour of that just a few days ago, as the member absolutely knows. However, I also know that when an Order Paper question went in with respe…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Mr. Speaker, first of all, let me say that the member has contributed enormously to this discussion of housing and infrastructure, in particular with respect to her community, the challenges that we find in the north and the challenges that are experienced by indigenous peoples across the country. I pointed out just a few minutes ago, and perhaps the member did not hear me, what the government has…
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Mr. Speaker, I have a great deal of respect for my colleague. Yes, I understand this approach very well. There is an agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec on this issue of housing. If we are to deal with this crisis, this challenge, we also need to be ambitious. I know that communities across the country, not just in the member's province, want to embrace a vision…
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Mr. Speaker, we are debating the estimates tonight, and I want to focus my attention on housing, which finds much support in the estimates. We have a variety of federal initiatives that are given further support or created anew where they did not exist before. The first, which I think it is fair to say is the signature program of the federal government with respect to housing policy, is the housin…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, with all due respect to the member, she talks about credibility, but she was at the House of Commons committee meeting responsible for housing when an expert from the rental sector told her that her party's position on not waiving GST for the building of purpose-built rentals was deeply irresponsible. On top of that, she voted against her community of Kelowna getting almost $32 millio…
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Mr. Speaker, the member ought to know, again, that in order to deal with the housing crisis in this country, we do need to see another 3.87 million homes built in this country. That is the number of homes that need to be built to address the housing crisis. It is incumbent on the federal government, provincial governments and municipal governments to put in place measures to address that crisis. I…
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Mr. Speaker, the member mentions housing, mentions affordability and mentions getting people off the streets. We share those interests. Unfortunately, her voting record shows something entirely different. She should go to 651 Cambridge Avenue, in her riding of Kelowna, to see a project funded by the government, which she voted against, unfortunately. She talks about encampments. The Conservatives …
Read full speech →Statements by Members
Mr. Speaker, I rise to honour the extraordinary life of Stefano “Steve” Economopoulos who recently passed away, unfortunately, in his 100th year. He was the husband to Angeliki for 74 years; father of Gus, Tom, Vivian and Angelo; grandfather to seven; and a great-grandfather as well. He came to Canada in 1951, but he grew up in the Kalavryta area in Greece. He fought in the Second World War. A pro…
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Mr. Speaker, we are doing exactly that. We share an interest with that party in building more non-market homes. That has to happen, and this is why budget 2024 supplemented existing programs that will make it happen. He raises the issue of rent, and he should. We do have an expensive situation when it comes to rent in Canada, and that is why the government is responding by putting in place innovat…
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Mr. Speaker, the member has served the House since 2004. He is always interested in issues of not only water but also water infrastructure. Liberals have put in place measures to support more home building, but we cannot do that without thinking about housing-enabling infrastructure. Waste-water, stormwater and solid waste infrastructure are all things that add up, and they make a difference. They…
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Mr. Speaker, we will not let that happen. The Conservatives have no vision on housing. They want to tax home builders. When it comes to working with municipalities to see more zoning changes, so we can see fourplexes, duplexes, triplexes, mid-rise apartments, all of these things built in communities, they do not want to support that either. Like the member for Kelowna—Lake Country, he voted agains…
Read full speech →Private Members' Business
Mr. Speaker, it is an honour, as always, to rise in the House of Commons to debate and discuss the issues of the day. One of those issues, arguably the most pressing issue certainly in my community and in communities across the country, is housing. We have a private member's bill that has been introduced by the Conservative leader, which stands, as he has said, as the Conservative plan on housing.…
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Mr. Speaker, I would take the member seriously, were it not for the Conservative record. Those same mortgage holders, in years past, benefited from a tax cut to the middle class that the Liberal government introduced. They benefited from the Canada child benefit. They are benefiting now from the child care program the government has introduced; dental care, where they are eligible; and pharmacare.…
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Mr. Speaker, let us note, first of all, that this is the same member who called for Canada to exit the United Nations. This is the same member who sat down, with other members of her caucus, with far-right European politicians. To the substance of the question, she talks about homelessness. She ought to read the most recent report of the Parliamentary Budget Officer, which makes clear that no fewe…
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Mr. Speaker, at any point in time, a democracy is bound to face risk, particularly in the difficult economic environment that we face domestically and internationally. To echo my colleague who just spoke on this side, a AAA credit rating was affirmed recently by Moody's, which said we have the best fiscal record in the G7 and the lowest debt and deficit in the G7. Those are foundation points that …
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Mr. Speaker, in the member's constituency, where individuals might find themselves homeless, she can go back and show them the Leader of the Opposition's housing plan, which unfortunately says nothing about homelessness, zero. The Leader of the Opposition purports to present a vision for this country, but it is hollow. There is nothing there on so many issues, but specifically on homelessness. He …
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Mr. Speaker, I would point the member to the so-called housing plan of the Leader of the Opposition, which says nothing about homelessness. Therefore, the Conservatives can talk about this, but we know how serious they are; they are not serious at all. The gatekeepers that the member talks about in this case are really municipal officials. They are mayors and councillors, for example, and others w…
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Mr. Speaker, it is a tragedy any time a Canadian does not have a roof over their head. It is unacceptable, and it is incumbent on all of us to live up to the challenge and to work together to make sure this is addressed in a way that is not politicized. However, the Conservatives are not capable of that, as we see. The member talks about funding gatekeepers. What he is really talking about is work…
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Mr. Speaker, that is quite the statement from the deputy leader of the Conservative Party. My advice to her is to actually read the report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer. In that report, she will see that no fewer than 50,000 Canadians are supported by the national housing strategy, specifically the Reaching Home program, which the Conservatives would cut. We know they champion an austerity…
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Mr. Speaker, what is clear is that the member and the Conservative Party want to ruin the rebate for Canadians. They have mentioned homelessness in the House today. That is quite a shock and hypocritical. If we look at their housing plan, we see that it never mentions homelessness. They do not want to do anything on these things. If someone wants to understand the compassion of the party opposite,…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, it is an honour tonight, as always, to rise in the House to speak to the challenges facing our country. Top among those is housing. There is no reason to sugar-coat it. We have to be clear-eyed on the problem at hand, which is that we have a housing crisis in front of us. To address the housing crisis, we have to build more homes. We must build more homes to make sure that current a…
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Madam Speaker, my Conservative friends, whom I hear jeering on the other side, ought to look at the housing plan and compare it to their own leader's housing plan, which does not include any tax incentive of this kind at all. Last week, in my community of London, I met with the private sector, and with builders specifically, to—
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Madam Speaker, I do accept that in the course of debate, heckling happens. It is part of the tradition, but I would like to finish my speech. However, I would invite my colleague who was doing it to raise a question during questions and comments. I look forward to debating him on this issue and others. I mentioned the GST waiver that will lead to more building. Just last week, I talked to builders…
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Madam Speaker, we do not have enough housing. We have to build more, as I said in my speech. There is so much in that question, I am not sure where to begin. I know my time is limited, so I will focus on the one point that stood out. The member said that, in her view, the federal government has no business engaging in housing. From that, I assume it is the position of the Conservative Party of Can…
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Madam Speaker, the current stock of affordable housing in Canada is around 4%. That is not enough. We have to increase that. My colleague wants to be partisan tonight. I do not think there is a need to be partisan. Yes, previous Liberal governments did let the country down when it came to not putting enough on the table and not investing enough to ensure an adequate, affordable housing stock. That…
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Madam Speaker, because of my parliamentary secretary role, I have engaged with those in the building sector, and I have put this question to them on the carbon tax. They say that it is not very significant at all. Much more important is removing, as I said, the GST from the construction of rental apartments. Much more important is ensuring that builders have access to low-interest loans. Much more…
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 36(8)(a), I have the honour to table, in both official languages, the government's response to one petition. This return will be tabled in an electronic format.
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I would like to ask the minister about affordable housing and what Bill C-59 offers on affordable housing. My community in London, Ontario, is challenged with homelessness, as are many communities across the country. What is also interesting, and I would love to hear commentary on this too, is that I never hear anything from the Conservatives about a plan to address homelessness or …
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Mr. Speaker, we do need more competition. In fact, I was very encouraged to hear the Minister of Industry confirm that he is looking at making sure that we have more competition in the grocery sector. It is something I have advocated for, for a very long time locally in London. This is something that we need to see across the country. Whether it is the measures my colleague talked about specifical…
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Mr. Speaker, it is great to be here tonight to discuss Bill C-59, the fall economic statement, for which we have been waiting for some time. Unfortunately, Conservatives have blocked debate on it and therefore its passage, but they came along tonight, and that is a great thing to see. Hopefully we will see less obstruction on key legislation going forward, and the bill before us is key legislation…
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Madam Speaker, my colleague spoke passionately on the matter; obviously, it has affected him personally, as it has so many Canadians. I wonder if he could expand on his point about stigma. He talked about how we have to address this as a health care issue, and then he talk about how unfortunate it is when it is politicized. Can he talk more about stigma and about how we should not politicize these…
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Mr. Speaker, the member is an experienced member, and his comment just shows he has not read the bill, which contains within it the establishment of the Canada water agency through an act. He should read the bill. My advice to all my colleagues across the way is to just read the bill. If they are going to raise a point of order on relevance, they should make sure that they know what they are talki…
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She gets all her looks from her mother, actually, Mr. Speaker, but I appreciate those kind remarks. I have talked about the importance of modular home construction. I think it is fundamental to dealing with the housing crisis that is at hand. I have said that. The minister has said that. Advocates across the country have said that. I applaud the member for meeting with advocates, along with firefi…
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Mr. Speaker, I have enormous respect for my hon. colleague, because I know he cares about his community. We may have certain fundamental disagreements on matters of policy, but I know he cares about his community. I have heard how passionately over the years he has raised the issues facing his community. While modular homes are not the focus of the fall economic statement, they certainly have been…
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Madam Speaker, I would remind the member of what I said earlier when the NDP posed the question on this issue. We are eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies and introducing a tax on share buybacks. In addition, there are changes to the capital gains that will benefit, on the whole, the vast majority of small businesses in this country. Decreasing the inclusion rate and increasing the lifeti…
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