Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Good morning, everyone.
I agreed to sign the letter requesting that this meeting be held pursuant to Standing Order 106(4). I'll be supporting the proposed motion, because the situation is deeply concerning.
However, the committee is short on time. We need to study Bill C‑59. I urge my colleagues to take the time to do the job properly, even though closure was invoked. We must take the time to listen to witnesses and improve the bill implementing last year's budget and last fall's economic statement. Later this spring, we need to study the other budget implementation bill coming up on April 16. That alone will keep us fully occupied. Furthermore, there are many other extremely important files. I would particularly like to know the status of the study that we began on green finance.
The situation currently under discussion was foreseeable. As Jasraj Singh Hallan said, while referring to the Equifax report, high interest rates and continually rising real estate prices are starting to lead to skyrocketing mortgage and credit card delinquency rates, along with an increase in bankruptcies. It's deeply concerning. However, it was foreseeable.
During our two weeks in our constituencies, I think that we should hold at least one meeting a week to discuss this deeply concerning matter. We can invite the experts, as proposed in the motion, to find out whether the situation is as alarming as reported. We can ask the experts. We can make a plan. Given the continually high interest rates, increasing property prices and the current situation, we can ask the government about its response and strategy. We must also have the chance to suggest proposals. I obviously don't agree with the analysis of Mr. Hallan or the Conservative members of Parliament regarding the carbon tax. However, the issue raised here, meaning the increasing delinquency rates and rising number of bankruptcies, is deeply concerning. It significantly affects the economy. We can try to see what can be done.
In short, we must focus on analyzing and improving the budget implementation bills, meaning Bill C‑59 and the bill associated with the budget in April. I also support the idea of reviving our study on how inflation and interest rates affect mortgages. The situation is changing. We need to look at the next steps.
I agree that we should hold at least one meeting a week during the last week of March and the first week of April, when we'll be in our constituencies. That way, we can study the matter.