Evidence of meeting #49 for Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics in the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was market.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
I call this meeting to order.
There is a point of order.
Go ahead.
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
Mr. Chair, we have a meeting today and we are all in attendance. As vice-chair, I wasn't consulted, and I don't believe Mr. Thériault was either. I'd like an explanation, or a comment on that. The two other parties represented here were not consulted. It seems to me that, at the very least, you should have spoken to us about it, in accordance with Standing Order 106.
There's something else. In your June 29 reply to Mr. Poilievre's letter, you said that you agreed with the urgency of looking into the matter, but you scheduled the meeting for today.
Conservative
Liberal
Linda Lapointe Liberal Rivière-des-Mille-Îles, QC
I'm getting to my point of order. We are here eight days later. If the matter was so urgent, why was the meeting scheduled eight days later? Had it been the Prime Minister or the leader of the second opposition party, would you have considered the matter to be just as urgent?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you, Madame Lapointe. As I mentioned to members of the committee, I am using my prerogative to call this meeting. I have the authority to do that, given the urgency of this meeting. I appreciate your point of order.
Before we continue, I'm going to ask all in-person participants to consult the guidelines written on the cards on the table. These measures are in place to prevent audio and feedback incidents and to protect the health and safety of all participants, including the interpreters. This is a reminder to make sure your hand is raised so that I can recognize you.
I see your hand, Mr. Gunn.
Welcome to meeting number 49 of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Access to Information, Privacy and Ethics.
Today's meeting is taking place in a hybrid format, pursuant to the Standing Orders. Members can attend in person in the room and remotely by using the Zoom application.
As members are aware, last week I received a letter from the Leader of the Opposition asking to convene a meeting of the committee. In my response to that letter, I said that I would put the matter before the committee because of the broad public concern and the questions raised following the joint announcement of the Premier of B.C. and the Prime Minister. I also stated that it would be up to the majority of members to pursue this matter further if they so choose, so here we are.
With that, I open the floor to discussion. I look forward to a constructive and informative discussion.
Mr. Gunn, you have the floor. Go ahead.
Conservative
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
Thank you, Chair.
I'd like to start by moving a motion:
That, given that:
a) Prime Minister Mark Carney recently announced a plan to bail out developers, bankers and investors by using taxpayer dollars to purchase more than 2,200 unsold condominium units in British Columbia;
b) This bailout will not make housing more affordable, but will prevent a price correction from taking place, preserving high prices for developers rather than lowering them for British Columbians trying to enter the housing market;
c) Questions remain about which ministers were lobbied, and by whom, in the lead-up to this announcement;
d) Questions remain about which developers and lenders will benefit from this bailout, which condo units will be eligible, how prices will be determined, which financing tools will be used—
Conservative
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
It's good to see you, Chair.
Chair, is the motion available in French?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
It is. It's going to be distributed to members of the committee by the clerk in both official languages. You should have it by now.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you.
Mr. Gunn, if you want to start from the top, go ahead.
Conservative
Aaron Gunn Conservative North Island—Powell River, BC
I will. Thank you, Chair.
Here is the motion again. I move:
That, given that:
a) Prime Minister Mark Carney recently announced a plan to bail out developers, bankers and investors by using taxpayer dollars to purchase more than 2,200 unsold condominium units in British Columbia;
b) This bailout will not make housing more affordable, but will prevent a price correction from taking place, preserving high prices for developers rather than lowering them for British Columbians trying to enter the housing market;
c) Questions—
Conservative
Liberal
Bardish Chagger Liberal Waterloo, ON
Thank you, Chair.
I don't see it in my inbox. I just want to see whether I'm on the list, as I'm a regular member who actually attends this committee. Perhaps the new members have received it and I haven't.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Madam Clerk, can you confirm that the email has been sent to Ms. Chagger?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
It's in your personal email, Ms. Chagger. Thank you.
Mr. Gunn, you can start from the top again, please.
Conservative
Conservative
Conservative
Jacob Mantle Conservative York—Durham, ON
I understand there's an issue with ParlVU right now. Could we have the clerk investigate that?
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Thank you for pointing that out, Mr. Mantle. We're just checking right now.
I'm going to suspend for a minute.
Mr. Gunn, we're going to come back to you after we resolve this issue with ParlVU.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative John Brassard
Welcome back.
Mr. Gunn, you have the floor.
Madame Lapointe, go ahead on a point of order.