Tim Watchorn

Mr. Speaker, I always like working with my hon. colleague, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands. We always have great conversations. What I am hearing in my riding when I go door to door is that people have confidence in what our Prime Minister is doing, what measures we are putting in place and how they help people in my riding. I live north of Montreal. A lot of people work in Montreal but live in my riding, so they spend a lot of time sitting in traffic on Autoroute 15, which is one of the most congested places in Quebec. This measure would give them a certain amount of relief. I find this measure very balanced. We would be giving relief to people at the gas pumps now but maintaining revenue in the future to make sure we can invest in public transit because public transit is definitely a problem. I would like to know from my hon. colleague how she finds this balanced approach a good measure.

Mr. Speaker, as usual, my hon. colleague gave a very eloquent speech. As I was saying earlier when I asked the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands a question, many of my constituents who have to sit in traffic will be able to benefit from Bill C‑38 by saving money on gas. Many of my constituents work in my colleague's riding. Can my colleague expand on how these people will be able to benefit from Bill C‑38 by saving money on gas?

Mr. Speaker, I have been in the House for about one year, and all I hear from the other side is doom and gloom. I would like to talk about some positive stuff that is happening in our area. I too have a forestry sector in my riding. Forestry is a challenge. However, I was lucky enough to go to the opening of a graphite mine that will be the biggest in the G7. There are a lot of mining opportunities in B.C. and in Quebec. I would like to know what the member opposite thinks of all these mining investments and our focus on critical minerals.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honour the heart and soul of music and theatre in Morin-Heights, and that heart is named Penny Rose. Penny came to us in the sixties and opened Rose's Cantina, one of the first live music venues in our community, where people would come from near and far to be entertained. Over the years, music has become a way of life in our town, and Penny has always been leading the way. Be it the Joyful Noise Choir, Theatre Morin Heights or now our famous SuperFolk festival, Penny volunteered for it all. Morin-Heights' music scene is best known for the Commons Bar and Le Studio, where bands such as Rush, The Police, and Bryan Adams recorded some of their best music. However, for the last 60 years, it has been Penny's work that has deeply left its mark. On July 2, Penny Rose will be 80 years old. She is still going strong and will host the biggest live music party that our town has seen in a long time. From all of us here in the House of Commons, I wish the one and only Penny Rose a very happy birthday.

Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to support the bill respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes. This decisive law will make Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation tasked with building and expanding affordable housing for Canadians. As we all know, Canada is going through a housing crisis. To date, federal efforts have been spread out across several departments, agencies and programs, limiting the government's ability to have maximum impact. Traditional approaches to building and financing do not provide the scale or speed that Canadians need. That is why we are taking a new approach. Every Canadian deserves an affordable place to call home. Housing is a basic need, and the growing demand for housing across the country requires urgent action. Build Canada Homes was created to act quickly and effectively. This legislation will give Build Canada Homes the flexibility and operational autonomy it needs to carry out its mandate. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will maintain a clear accountability framework with respect to the government. That will strengthen its ability to develop partnerships across the housing ecosystem and provide affordable housing at the scale and speed that Canadians need. Build Canada Homes will streamline federal housing efforts by acting as a developer, a funder, a unifying force and a catalyst for innovation in the housing sector. It will play a central role in building strong partnerships with all levels of government and indigenous communities. It will also work with non-profit organizations and other key stakeholders in the housing sector to stimulate the construction of affordable housing across Canada. This includes private developers and community organizations. However, Build Canada Homes cannot act alone. The success of its initiatives depends on partnerships. Greater collaboration between all levels of government and with key partners is needed to address the housing challenges we face across the country. Build Canada Homes will streamline and accelerate the delivery of large-scale affordable housing projects. The agency will attract public, private and philanthropic investment, thereby maximizing its impact. The Build Canada Homes Act will foster partnerships across the housing ecosystem to bring together the right funding and the right projects. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will provide access to federal lands, development expertise and flexible financial tools through a single entity. It will speed up the delivery of affordable housing by working with non-profit organizations, indigenous organizations and all levels of government. This approach will limit risk, eliminate barriers and guide projects throughout the development process. Build Canada Homes will also work in close collaboration with developers, investors and manufacturers on securing funding and building homes. It will work directly with builders and suppliers focused on long-term affordability. That includes non-profit organizations, co-operatives, community housing providers and organizations that promote different housing options for Canadians. These strategic partnerships will make it possible to create affordable housing for a wide range of households, regardless of their income. Build Canada Homes will have the authority to work under agreements with all levels of government and community partners on financial support, joint ventures and joint development initiatives. The agency will strive to create close collaboration and coordination with the provinces and territories, which will foster progress on priority projects. Among other things, that could include making land available, speeding up approval procedures or waiving any applicable fees. In April 2026, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced a partnership to support the construction of nearly 865 affordable housing units across the province. The total investment in affordable housing, supported housing and transitional housing in the province amounts to $200 million. Build Canada Homes is providing approximately $100 million, and Quebec is also contributing up to $100 million. This is a direct result of the memorandum of understanding establishing the principles of collaboration for rolling out Build Canada Homes in Quebec. Signed in January 2026, this memorandum of understanding will guide future collaboration and ensure the coordinated roll-out of Build Canada Homes projects across Quebec. Through their collaboration, the federal and Quebec governments will speed up the approval process and identify additional housing projects. The combined investments will help build more affordable housing in the communities that need it most. To illustrate the importance of this legislation, I will give two clear examples of housing projects in my riding, Les Pays-d'en-Haut. The first was built under the old programs, and the second was built using the new tools provided by Build Canada Homes. The first project is called Habitat Morin-Heights. It is a 30-unit housing project that enables our seniors 75 and older to remain in the community when they are no longer able to manage their homes. They used to have to move elsewhere. The project had the support of the community, the municipality, the Government of Quebec, and the Government of Canada, but even with all that support, five years passed between the housing units being acquired from the Société d'habitation du Québec upon completion of construction and the residents moving in. That is unacceptable. Some residents on the waiting list simply moved away, and some even passed away before they could move into their homes. Ultimately, the project has been a great success. Habitat Morin-Heights is full, and there is a new waiting list. However, five years to complete a housing project is far too long. Now, I would like to tell members about a similar project in my riding that will be carried out using tools from Build Canada Homes. I am talking about the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines in Saint‑Calixte. It is a project involving 28 affordable social housing units. After I was elected last year, I met with the 19 mayors in my riding, as well as several municipal councillors. During that tour, Michel Jasmin, the mayor of Saint‑Calixte, Lucie Chagnon, a municipal councillor, and Maria Dias-Ribeiro, the president of the board of directors for the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines quickly made it clear to me that the project was vital to the community and that they needed help seeing it through. The project was ready to go. It had the support of the community, the municipality and the province. The bidding process was under way. The only thing missing was the federal funding needed to start construction. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on board, they submitted the project to Build Canada Homes, and in just six months everything was finalized. That is what Build Canada Homes does. It analyzes and identifies projects that will give fast results, supports them and makes it possible to start construction because the longer we wait on a project, the more expensive it becomes. I am pleased to announce that construction on the Au cœur des collines project in Saint‑Calixte will begin this summer. That is a significant achievement. To announce this wonderful project, I had the opportunity to welcome the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure to my riding in Morin-Heights. I specifically chose to make the announcement at the site of the first project I mentioned, Habitat Morin-Heights. I must admit that it was a strategic choice on my part, because I wanted to show my colleagues the impact that a housing project can have on a small community. They were able to talk to the residents who had recently moved in and explore this new community a bit. They also saw that a 30-unit project in a small community is as important as a 500-unit project in a big city. They were also able to see the emotion in the eyes of Ms. Chagnon and Ms. Dias-Ribeiro, who will finally see the project they fought so hard for get built. That is the real-world impact of Build Canada Homes, and that is why we need to pass the bill to create the Crown corporation. In conclusion, the Build Canada Homes act will create a Crown corporation with a clear mandate, governance structure and powers. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will have the operational independence, governance and flexibility that is necessary to deliver affordable housing at scale.

Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I think I illustrated this very clearly in my example: the dynamic and flexible nature of Build Canada Homes will make it possible to build more quickly. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation had programs, but it had limited capabilities. Build Canada Homes is much more dynamic and much more flexible, which will facilitate partnerships and quicker housing construction.

Madam Speaker, to build all these homes that Build Canada Homes is going to build, we need skilled workers. This initiative is 100% complementary, I would say, to Build Canada Homes. It is going to permit the construction of a lot of apartments, homes and everything we need to get these things built.

Madam Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the question, and I love having wonderful conversations with her in the House every day. I think Build Canada Homes is the necessary tool at this time to get things done. Accountability to the minister is going to be super important, but I am not worried that there are going to be any problems on that front. Again, the flexibility that Build Canada Homes has, and the quickness with which we can get stuff built, is the most important factor right now.

Madam Speaker, I think the best example of that is the deal we signed with Quebec for 865 new homes that are going to be happening rapidly. We were able to coordinate with the provincial government to make sure that its priorities became our priorities. That is what we need in these times to get stuff built as quickly as possible because we have to get out of this housing crisis. The best way to do it is through Build Canada Homes.

Madam Speaker, on a more positive note, I am honoured to rise today to commend the perseverance of Éliane Blais, a young athlete from my riding, Les Pays-d'en-Haut. At just 16 years old, she is already a four-time Canadian U17 mountain bike champion, all while continuing her studies. After a serious accident, surgery and rehabilitation, she joined the U19 junior category last fall and won two medals at the Canada Games. On May 2, she finished ninth in the Olympic Junior series in the Czech Republic, and on May 31, in Sherbrooke, she won a bronze medal at the Canada Cup. Éliane Blais is a true source of inspiration for all young people in Canada. She has big ambitions. Although she is the youngest rider on the circuit, she is aiming for a spot in the top eight in the junior downhill category at the Mountain Bike World Championships in Italy this summer. That kind of passion is exactly why we are investing $755 million in our young athletes. I would like to congratulate Éliane and thank her for representing Les Pays-d'en-Haut and Canada so well on the international stage.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to mark National Consulting Engineering Day. This is an opportunity to celebrate a Canadian success story, namely the experts who design and build the infrastructure that is essential to our daily lives. Canada is, without question, an engineering superpower. The sector employs nearly a quarter of a million Canadians and contributes about $35 billion to our economy. As an engineer, I see the tangible impact of this work every day. Whether it is hospital expansions, new ports opening the doors to international trade, or infrastructure corridors linking Canada from coast to coast, these projects transform the lives of Canadians. Although some projects are national in scope, all projects are of vital importance to the communities they serve. That is why, this National Consulting Engineering Day, I invite all members of the House to join me in thanking the teams of engineers and other professionals who help build the country that makes us proud to be Canadian.

Mr. Speaker, Les Pays-d'en-Haut has about 1,000 lakes. My riding is home to a great business called Multinautic that manufactures aluminum docks. It was able to take advantage of a tariff response grant. The company's employees are very happy because they export a large part of their production to the United States. I would like my colleague to explain how tariff response strategies work for small and medium-sized businesses.

Mr. Speaker, I have the chance to sit on the defence committee with my hon. colleague. He is our chair, and he is a wonderful chair. We have been doing historic investments in defence. One of them is the $1.5 billion we announced for L3Harris in Mirabel. I would like to hear the member's comments about how defence investment helps counterbalance tariffs.

Mr. Speaker, young Canadians are facing a rising cost of living, global uncertainty and concerns over their future. Can the Secretary of State for Children and Youth explain how our spring economic update addresses current economic challenges while building Canada strong for everyone?

Madam Speaker, this week, the people of Les Pays-d'en-Haut received good news: $755 million to support our skiers, our cyclists, our soccer players and our female hockey players. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State for Sport tell the House how the economic update will support sports across the country?

Mr. Speaker, we received some good news this week. The spring economic update could not have come at a better time. Our economy is being affected by global uncertainty and trade tensions. Canadians need a government with a plan for protecting them while defending our economy. Can the Minister of Industry tell us what this update means for Canadians?

Mr. Speaker, I, too, sit on the defence committee. I would like to know what the member across the aisle thinks about all the victims who were heard by Madam Justice Louise Arbour, the hundreds of victims who were interviewed and said they did not want their sexual assault to be investigated by their boss. They wanted a separate system. What does the member say to them?

Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, who sits on the Standing Committee on National Defence with me. I think that today we are talking about victims. We are talking about the issue of victims' trust in a justice system. I would like my colleague to talk about the 14,000 victims who testified before Justice Arbour that they did not trust the military system. Since 2022, all sexual abuse cases under the Criminal Code have been tried in civilian court, and that arrangement is working. Why could it not continue to work?

Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague's thoughts on workplace safety. Does he know anywhere in the world where someone who reports a sexual crime gets investigated, prosecuted and judged by his peers? Does that make any sense to him?