Intergovernmental Affairs  Mr. Speaker, we are pleased to do so with the co‑operation of Quebec municipalities, including the City of Lévis, and the Government of Quebec. There will be 8,000 affordable housing units in the coming months. This is the largest number of affordable housing units built by Quebeckers in one go in the history of the province of Quebec.

Intergovernmental Relations  Mr. Speaker, my colleague is quite right to talk about the cost of living and the high cost of living for middle-class and lower-income families. What is surprising, however, is that the Conservatives oppose the Canada child benefit, which reduces child poverty by 50% every month.

Intergovernmental Relations  Mr. Speaker, I would like to remind my colleague that in his own riding, some 12,000 families receive the Canada child benefit on the 20th of each month, which is one week from now. That is about $500 a month tax free per family. This reduces child poverty in his riding by 50%.

Intergovernmental Affairs  Mr. Speaker, my colleague the Minister of Housing has already talked about the 8,000 affordable housing units that Quebec municipalities will build in the coming months and years. We already know about the six affordable housing units that the Conservative leader built during his time as housing minister.

Intergovernmental Relations  Mr. Speaker, the time is always right to talk about the impact of federal investment for Quebeckers. Let us start with child care services. A $6-billion investment over four years is helping give families, and women in particular, 35,000 new child care spaces. Naturally, this is helping boost family income and reduce poverty, while contributing to gender equality and childhood development—without interfering in anyone’s jurisdictions.

Intergovernmental Relations  Mr. Speaker, I am so happy to answer a second question and give a second example of how we are working very well together. On the question of housing, two times $900 million equals $1.8 billion. This agreement, which we signed just a few weeks ago, will allow us to build the largest number of affordable housing units ever built in the history of the province of Quebec.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, it is quite amusing to hear the word “incompetence” coming from the Conservative leader. When he was the minister responsible for housing, he created six affordable housing units across the country during his entire mandate. A few weeks ago, he accused Quebec municipalities of being incompetent.

Finance  Mr. Speaker, the Conservative leader spoke a moment ago about the Government of Quebec. I was speaking about the municipalities. With the leadership of the Quebec government, we signed an agreement to build 8,000 affordable housing units in the coming months. During his term as minister responsible for housing, the Conservative leader created six affordable housing units, and yet he called Quebec’s municipalities, including Quebec City, incompetent.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, I have two things that I would like to say to my colleague, whom I greatly respect. First, austerity is not a solution to Canada's economic problems in 2024. Second, in academia, as well as in human and political relations, relationships are based on respect. I would invite the member to meet with the City of Quebec's administration and personally apologize for the insulting remarks he made about Quebec's municipalities by saying they were incompetent.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, as we said yesterday, there are two clear figures: six and 8,000. During his time as housing minister, the Conservative leader created six new affordable housing units across the entire country. In contrast, just a few weeks ago, in the riding of my colleague from Louis-Saint-Laurent, we announced a project called Le Central, which alone has created 42 new affordable housing units.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, our colleague is right. The six affordable housing units built by the opposition leader were indeed affordable. Over the past few years, we have built hundreds of thousands of affordable housing units. The construction of another 750,000 units will be accelerated over the coming years.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, obviously, next week's budget is going to build even more housing. Consider these two numbers: six and 8,000. They are clear. During his reign as minister responsible for housing, the Conservative Leader created six affordable housing units in the entire country. In recent months, we signed an agreement with the Quebec government for a total of $1.8 billion that will build 8,000 affordable housing units, in Quebec alone, over the next few years.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, the next budget is coming and the member already knows that it will contain additional housing measures. What he should also know is that, just a few months ago, we signed a $1.8-billion agreement with the Government of Quebec that will provide, all at once, the largest number of new housing units in the history of Quebec.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, my colleague is quite right to call attention to the cost and affordability of housing, including in the Quebec City area. That is why it is so surprising that the Conservatives oppose our investments in affordable housing, including social housing in the Quebec City area.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, if my colleague is looking for photo ops, I invite him to come with me to visit the housing project in his riding called Le Monterosso. He has not been seen in the last few weeks, since the project was announced. That was mentioned during the press conference with mayor Bruno Marchand.