Again, talk about being on the outside looking in.
I want my colleagues to understand this: When I see people in Pefferlaw—Pefferlaw is a great little town—how would you like me to explain to them how the whole of Prince Edward Island all of a sudden became rural? Downtown Charlottetown now gets the rural top-up. Think about that. Ridings in Halifax and Nova Scotia get the rural top-up because this government has rolled the CMA data back for them. I have to stand in Pefferlaw or take a ferry over to the Georgina Island first nations and explain to people why they don't get the rural top-up. I reflect on downtown Charlottetown and the amenities and transit they have. We have none of that.
Again, I've asked my colleagues to circle the square. I saw the minister of rural affairs, and she said, “Scot, I know there's a problem with that, but I really don't know what to do. You should see the Minister of Industry”, because the CMAs are apparently controlled by Industry. I saw the minister, and he said, “I know there's a problem, but you're going to have to see the Minister of Finance.” Think about this. I've had three discussions with three different ministers. They realize there's a problem. I spoke to the Minister of the Environment too, who said, “I know, Scot. How do we fix it?”
Shockingly enough, I have written two letters to the Minister of Finance on this issue. Do you think I received a response? Think about it. I represent over 120,000 people, which I'm honoured to do. One individual has written the Minister of Finance twice on this issue. There's not even an acknowledgement—nothing. It's crickets. We have three ministers who know there's an issue. I know that among my colleagues across the way—again, I'll never put words in anyone's mouth—there are MPs representing ridings in Ontario in the same situation as me.
This is what frustrates me and Canadians. We're here to deliver results for our communities and help our colleagues understand the issues our communities are facing, but this government is not listening. I know I have colleagues across from me who do listen and understand, but the powers that be are not changing things, and it's making life more and more unaffordable for people in my community.
It's important for me to recap the budgetary items, to go back to the economy. I know we're asking for carbon tax Carney to come. As I talked about, we were looking in the budget for the Lake Simcoe cleanup fund, but we didn't see it. We haven't seen it. Quite frankly, after nine years.... That's why we say this Prime Minister is not worth the cost. He's not worth the cost to the residents of York—Simcoe.
Just so that my colleagues have a recap of where we're at in York—Simcoe, I'll note there's no rural top-up. There's no Lake Simcoe cleanup fund nine years after the promise was made by the Deputy Prime Minister, who has not acknowledged any letters that I've sent to her about the rural top-up. There is aging infrastructure. There are absolutely zero housing accelerator funds. I get concerned about York Region—being represented by Liberal MPs and the northern six as part of York Region—getting zero funds. I'm not sure how the member for Newmarket—Aurora is going to square this circle with the mayor of Aurora. There are no housing funds. There is aging infrastructure. There are a number of residents on propane who would love to go to natural gas. There is aged hydro infrastructure.
There are also no family doctors, but let's get four other government programs going and tell Canadians how they've never had it so good. This is just not the reality facing the people of York—Simcoe. I hope that my colleagues across from me understand that. I'd love to have a sidebar, but I'm sure the member for Whitby or the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge is going to explain to me how Pefferlaw really is Toronto. As I said, we're too Toronto to get the rural top-up, but we're not Toronto enough for any housing accelerator funds.
I'm not a mayor. I would never tell a mayor what to do. However, I believe Toronto got $560 million in housing accelerator funds. I know the member for Vaughan—Woodbridge crunches numbers and may know the number, because I don't know the exact number, but I think that's what the City of Toronto got. If I was the mayor of the town of Georgina, I would definitely pick up the phone and ask Mayor Chow where Georgina's cut of that is, because we got absolutely nothing—zero. It wouldn't take the scum off rice pudding.
I think everyone here now understands what my residents are facing on just those few topics. We have no federal buildings and no federal lands in York—Simcoe. We have no federal offices, and it's getting more and more frustrating for the people of York—Simcoe. At the end of the day, I've gotten this issue out. Again, I think it's important for all members here to understand the disconnect between rural and urban and how frustrating it is.
I will yield my time to the member for Northumberland—Peterborough South. I was going to say Peterborough only. It's a great town. They used to build great motors there by OMC. It was unbelievable when Canada built things and invested in things. I know members going to tell us about the battery plants. I'd still like to know where our seat on the board is—I haven't seen that—and how many shares we have. Did we get a seat on the board and shares in those companies with the $60 billion in investments? We could have bought the whole Ford Motor Company cheaper, but we'll let them go on about that.
It was great to be here, Mr. Chair. You're smiling, as usual. It's all good.