Mr. Speaker, a member across the way said, “apparently”. We will have to wait and see. Hopefully the Conservatives will recognize and allow legislation of this nature to, at the very least, get to the committee stage.
I am very interested in what my colleagues in the Bloc have to say about the legislation. With the legislation and some of the basic debate that has taken place already on it, the Bloc appears to at least be somewhat open to it, recognizing that the best way we can deliver the type of results that Canadians need today is to have the different levels of government and stakeholders working together in order to advance and deliver in a stronger and healthier way.
I would argue that provinces play an absolutely critical role, in many ways a leading role. We would no doubt see this through the creation of the new corporation. I suspect there is going to be a great deal of dialogue on the new corporation. I would like to think that organizations that are really strong on missions will say that they want to establish, for example, a housing co-op and look at how the Build Canada Homes corporation would actually be able to assist in facilitating, making dreams come true for some of the non-profit organizations that want to deliver affordable housing. I have always been a strong advocate of housing co-ops, because a housing co-op in a non-profit setting makes housing affordable, and one is not a tenant but a resident.
It is interesting that the Conservatives say, “Well, we already have CMHC, so just allow CMHC to do it.” However, I do not think they fully understand what CMHC does. There is a focus, in regard to the free-market system, on providing insurance for backup. Most people who are homeowners or are going to be homeowners need to get that insurance, which CMHC provides. There are other areas in which CMHC has done quite well over the years, such as providing stats and monitoring the industry as a whole.
Saying that we can just add something that is being proposed within the legislation tells me that the Conservatives do not necessarily want to see the type of success that the Prime Minister and the government are talking about when we talk about increasing the number of homes being built.
Taking a look at Canadian technology, how often do we hear about supporting modern manufacturing, factory-built homes, prefabrication and the potential growth within that industry? I think of it in terms of Canadian technology, as was mentioned in the throne speech. I think in terms of the workers who are working at plants rather than on site, building prefabricated homes.
These are the types of things that can make a tangible difference. These are the types of things that Build Canada Homes would be there to support and encourage, and they would turn dreams into reality. That would have a positive impact in terms of the issue of affordability, even in the open market system.
Build Canada Homes has an important role in terms of low-income housing and affordable housing; in providing supports for municipalities, provinces and indigenous communities; in looking at ways in which we have literally hundreds of non-profit organizations that have a key concern in regard to housing; and in bringing it all together and working so that Canada can continue to build on our non-profit housing stock.
The lead on this, from the nation's perspective, is going to be taken by Build Canada Homes, the corporation that would be created by this legislation. Where do members think it is going to take place, if not there? If we really and truly believe that we need to look at ways we can dramatically increase the housing supply in certain sectors, encourage further growth, see more jobs created, take advantage of the Canadian technology that is there and use Canadian lumber and Canadian steel, these are all the types of things that are best handled through an arm's-length corporation, which this legislation would provide.
It is not just talk. A substantial amount of money has been allocated from the 2025 budget. A newly elected Prime Minister, a cabinet, a throne speech and 170 Liberal members of Parliament have recognized that this is a commitment that we have to make good on. Part of that infrastructure, in terms of the corporation, is already in place to a certain degree in different ways, so we will be able to make things happen quickly.
Someone might ask the question, “How many houses?” There have been thousands of homes, and that is in a relatively short period of time. I can encourage the Conservatives on the other side who are maybe a little more progressive than the far right, and maybe some of those red Tories, to think that the government can have good social public policy that would make a positive difference for all Canadians. Bill C-20 is one of those policies that would be good for Canada, and I would encourage the Conservatives to consider allowing it to pass into committee, so we can get it to the next stage as soon as possible.
