Oral Questions
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 …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
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 →Oral Questions
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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 →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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—
Read full speech →Routine Proceedings
Madam Speaker, I ask that all questions be allowed to stand.
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 →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
Read full speech →Government Orders
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…
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 …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, whether it is co-op housing, missing middle housing, duplexes, triplexes, fourplexes or mid-rise apartments, the focus of the government is building more and dealing with that crisis in supply. This is what the government is seized with. In fact, I recently met with the federation responsible for co-op housing and its advocacy in this country. They remarked how happy they were with th…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, the idea is not without merit, and I thank the hon. colleague for raising it here today. I am not going to talk about what may or may not be in the budget, but what we do focus on is the well-being of Canadian families. In recent years, we have seen a massive decline in poverty throughout the country and, in particular, child poverty. When Canadians needed their government there dur…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I remember that not too long ago the member was begging to be a member of the Liberal caucus. That did not really work out for him. He is now auditioning to join the other side. He can. He will find a place over there, where they want to cut child care, dental care and pharmacare. A few weeks ago, when the government tabled pharmacare legislation, the Leader of the Opposition ran aw…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, our government has been very clear on this issue. Our record is also very clear. Relations between the Government of Canada and the municipal governments are very strong. We see that. We see that in different ways throughout the country. We will continue to engage with municipalities on infrastructure matters and related matters. I am happy to discuss further with the member the spe…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I am happy to take up this specific matter with the member after question period to know more about that specific case in Nanaimo, but I will say that the federal government is absolutely committed to ensuring there is greater supply. Supply is always what underpins a housing crisis, in this country and every other country that is experiencing exactly that. We need to see more being b…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, that colleague is from Ontario where I am from and the climate rebate that Ontarians will receive is over $1,100. That is for a family of four. I am not surprised, though, to hear that member and the Conservatives continue to bring up these points. They want to take money out of the pockets of Canadians. Today, historic legislation was tabled in the House of Commons with respect to ph…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, I regularly participate in question period, and this is the first time I have heard the member raise this particular issue. I am sincere when I say that I am happy to talk with him after question period to learn more about his particular concern. However, which of the almost 4,000 road, bridge or highway projects that have been funded just in the province of Ontario alone, where the…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, as I said, we will continue to do everything we can to ensure a competitive environment for brewers, for the vintner sector and for all Canadians. However, it is interesting: The member talks about unions. That is what stood out in his question. The Conservative Party is the party of unions all of a sudden? I could not think of anything less true. Throughout the Conservatives' tenur…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we will ensure a continued competitive environment for brewers and vintners. That environment is one that allows for people to go out and buy their beer or buy their wine, or whatever they wish to do with their free time. In this country, we want to ensure continued success, and what do we see? We see a very low unemployment rate that is lower than what was the case before the pande…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, there is $223 million for 736 road, bridge and infrastructure projects in British Columbia, where the member is from. How many did he vote for? He voted for zero. Where is his support for his constituents and his province? I know he is a sincere member. I have heard him speak in the House many times. I am not sure what has happened, whether he has been whipped to not support the par…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, yesterday I made the comment that the hon. colleague takes a non-partisan approach to issues, and he does, which is why I am surprised that he continues to maintain the approach he does today. He knows very well that the government has invested in over 8,500 bridge, road or highway projects across the country. We are proud that has happened, and it needs to continue. However, direct…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there are more slogans from the other side. Why is it a slogan? It is because there is no sincerity, and there is no sincerity because Conservatives want to cut funding to cities. They want to cut funding to towns. Every time we put measures on the table to make sure that municipalities are better supported and provinces are there with us, they stand in the way of that. I have given e…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I know that member, and I have known him for many years, to be someone who brings a non-partisan approach. However, such is the approach of the Leader of the Opposition that even someone like him has taken a decidedly partisan approach to such critical issues. What do we see? Nearly 3,000 road and bridge projects, at $2.1 billion, have been funded by the current government, but the Co…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, $470 million is the amount the federal government has allocated through, among other things, the Canada housing benefit, which was recently topped up. We will continue to support Canadians going through a difficult time and make sure that we are working with different orders of government to ensure that the outcome is a real, lasting and meaningful one for Canadians who are challenged…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, I think the housing crisis calls for a co-operative approach. What is the Leader of the Opposition's approach? He insults the mayors of Quebec City, Montreal and throughout Canada. That is not how to engage in a serious housing policy. The accelerator fund that he points to is incenting change at the zoning level municipally. That is critical if we are going to see more supply. It is …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is shame; he should follow the proceedings of the finance committee more closely because just a few months ago, officials there testified that his private member's bill, supposedly meant to build more housing, would do exactly the opposite. He wants to tax home builders. He wants to cut infrastructure that communities require for housing purposes. His best idea, it would seem, to b…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, first of all, I thank the member for what she brings to the House. I know her advocacy on a range of issues matters and does make a difference. On this side, Liberal MPs, since 2015, have ensured that this government invests in infrastructure and invests in roads and highways. I will give examples of northern infrastructure investments. We are talking about $10.5 million for the Inuvi…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, we know that infrastructure investment is absolutely vital to economic growth. As part of our infrastructure policy, we are talking about almost 400 road and highway projects that have been invested in at the federal level. That is just one example of a fund that is at work. I have mentioned already northern examples. Let me give the example, of course, of the Gordie Howe Bridge, whic…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is a bit rich to continue to hear the Conservatives talk about road infrastructure in particular, but infrastructure in general, which they continued to cut in their time in office and would do the same if they were back in power. In the GTA, and I will give examples, there are $2.3 billion to build the Scarborough subway extension; $1.9 billion to build the Eglinton cross-town wes…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, there are almost 3,000 road and bridge projects in Ontario. That is just one example. I remember when, in this House of Commons, the government moved forward on talking with Windsor and engaging with Governor Rick Snyder in the state of Michigan. This was done years ago to make sure the Gordie Howe bridge would be a reality, and they were against it. We have put in $6 billion to make …
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, that is very interesting. The member should have checked the record. It is stunning. As a B.C. MP, he voted against over $1 million for the 100 Mile House Horse Lake Road Bridge replacement in that province. It is an example of Conservative hypocrisy on the other side. On the one hand, they want to stand for infrastructure investment and support roads. On the other, any time the curre…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, it is unfortunate that the member contradicts himself every time he speaks. Just a few days ago, he was praising the federal government's record on housing. Today, he critiques it. Let me offer something else regarding contradiction. He talks about the challenges of homelessness, which admittedly are unacceptable in this country, and unaffordability in housing, which is unacceptable i…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, those are more slogans from the member and the party opposite. What do we see on our side? We are putting serious measures forward to work with municipalities. Across the country, over 500 municipalities have applied for the housing accelerator fund. We have completed deals with 30 municipalities, working with mayors, not denigrating them. What do we hear on the other side? We hear no…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I will take this opportunity to inform the House that I will be sharing my time with the member for St. Catharines. We are discussing an important matter today. It is interesting the Conservatives have decided to bring up in this way, through an opposition motion, rather than putting serious and constructive measures on the table whether at committee or in other places. Be that as i…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, I have a lot of respect for my colleague, because he always offers constructive ideas and has something important to say every time he speaks. I know that he has spoken in the past about the importance of making sure that we are investing in youth programs as a preventative measure. I think that has a place in this conversation but I also take very seriously the idea that criminals …
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, our colleague is wondering why we need to have a meeting now and why the government is taking this approach. It is interesting to hear a Bloc member say that, because the Bloc is always talking in the House about the importance of co-operation between the federal, provincial—Quebec in particular—and municipal governments throughout Canada. In this case, however, she is saying that w…
Read full speech →Government Orders
Madam Speaker, first of all, I will say to my hon. colleague that I did prepare the speech myself. I am not sure if his notes came from the opposition leader's office, but I did see that he spoke off the cuff and therefore I am going to make the assumption, I will be charitable, that he came up with the question, and as a former prosecutor, I certainly hope that he did. In fact, to go back to that…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Mr. Speaker, the member talks about affordable housing. There have been 500 applications from across the country, and 30 deals have been completed thus far. That will continue. What do we see as a result? It is adding to supply, which, of course, underpins the housing crisis in front of us. The housing crisis is ultimately a crisis in supply, which is why we are working with municipalities, partic…
Read full speech →Oral Questions
Madam Speaker, we have worked, as members know, with the City of Calgary on a range of matters, including getting more housing built through the housing accelerator fund. However, I find the hypocrisy in the Conservative position stunning. The Conservatives continue to talk about the vulnerable when we know what they would do if they were in office. They would cut pensions. They would cut EI. The …
Read full speech →