Health Committee on Oct. 24th, 2022

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

My response is that this is a one-time top-up payment to an already existing program called the Canada housing benefit, which already delivers an average of $2,500 to Canadian renters from coast to coast to coast.

I want to also highlight the fact that all 10 provinces and three territories have signed on to the Canada housing benefit. It's a cost-shared program.

This particular payment will reach 1.8 million Canadian renters. We know that they need that support now.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Minister, how many affordable housing units were built in the territory of Nunavut in this last year?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I can tell you that we have a number of programs in the north to tackle the specific challenges—

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

How many housing units were built?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I'm happy to answer the question, if you let me.

In the north, we understand the unique challenges faced by northern communities when it comes to building affordable housing. We've dedicated not only—

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Minister, it was a simple question. A simple answer would be appreciated.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

I'm happy to answer it, if you'll let me.

If I may continue, we understand the importance of investing in affordable housing in the north. Over the years we've put in place programs that enable northern communities to access more federal housing dollars—

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

It's—

[Stephen Ellis, Conservative, Cumberland—Colchester, NS]

Mr. Chair, I have a point of order.

I think this is the exact issue we went through, Mr. Chair, and sadly the Conservatives were on the losing end of this last time. I would respectfully ask that the give-and-take that we've established, which I think has worked very well in this committee, be respected here. My colleague has asked the minister multiple times for a very short answer to the question, which to me would be a number that's somewhere between zero and eight gazillion. I don't think we need an explanation. It's a number.

Thank you, sir.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Ms. Goodridge has ensured that Minister Hussen has not gone on longer than the period of her question, which she is absolutely entitled to do, so I'm not sure we've breached the convention. If she's not satisfied with the answer, that's not something the chair can fix. In terms of being fair to the witness and fair to the person posing the questions, I think we're doing fine.

Go ahead, Ms. Goodridge.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Thank you.

I was simply trying to get a simple number, which I would have hoped the minister would have had readily at his disposal, of every housing unit that's been created across this country. Clearly, the answer is that he does not have that simple fact. There are three territories that have unique housing needs. The minister was completely unable to provide a simple answer as to how many housing units were built in this last year. The lack of affordable housing units directly impacts homelessness and the housing crisis in northern communities. It's something that's very near and dear to my heart. It's disappointing that a simple question, which was asked multiple times, did not receive a simple answer.

But I digress. I don't think I'm going to get an answer to this.

I will switch back to the Minister of Health.

What would prevent a low-income family with private insurance from utilizing this plan?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

What would prevent that family from...? The rules are quite clear. You need to have a child below the age of 12, you need to not have access to private dental insurance and you need to incur expenditures on dental care.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Okay, but how would you know if someone had private insurance or not? Is it just based on the honour system?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

It's based on an attestation that people need to fill in. Then it would be based on monitoring and possible enforcement by CRA, the Canada Revenue Agency.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Have you guys done a costing of what the administration would cost for the enforcement side?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

We understand that you'll be having access to great officials with great advice and information on the role of the CRA later this afternoon or this evening. I suppose and suggest you could talk to them.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

Not that you're aware of; that's the answer.

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

It's a matter for officials who know the file providing the right information and the correct answer to a great question.

[Laila Goodridge, Conservative, Fort McMurray—Cold Lake, AB]

We actually asked to have the minister of CRA present, and that was declined.

[The Chair, Liberal, Sean Casey]

Thank you, Ms. Goodridge.

Next we have Ms. Sidhu, please, for six minutes.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you, Chair.

Thank you, Minister Hussen, Minister Duclos and all of the officials for joining us to help advance this important piece of legislation.

My first question is for Minister Duclos.

Minister, I know that we have said that this is just the first step. Can you comment on how Bill C-31 will help inform the full vision for dental coverage for all Canadians?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

Thank you, MP Sidhu, or Sonia.

We know that approximately seven million Canadians don't go to see a dentist every year because dental care is too expensive. Now, that's a terrible outcome, because not doing so means they end up with a lack of preventive care and a lack of diagnostics and treatment. In many cases, they end up in an emergency room. About $2 billion in hospitalization costs are spent every year to look after emergency dental care, most of which would not be needed if those people had access to proper dental care in this country.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

I know that December 1 is coming. This is a target date for children under 12 to benefit from better dental care. Can you speak to how it will roll out once this bill receives royal assent?

[Jean-Yves Duclos, Liberal, Québec, QC]

If Parliament approves the bill, as you said, MP Sidhu, by December 1 we are hoping to make Canadians access this benefit. Approximately 500,000 children below the age of 12 would be eligible for that benefit. It would save obviously a lot of money in a context in which the cost of living is very severe for families with children, especially young children.

In addition to that, as we noted, it will help those children not only avoid the severe mental health and physical health costs of not having access to dental care, but it then would reduce the risk of future diabetes, cardiovascular disease and gastrointestinal disease, including the risk of generalized infection, the cost of which, when people go to a hospital, can range between $12,000 and $25,000 per emergency visit.

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Thank you.

My next question is for Minister Hussen.

Minister Hussen, you said in your remarks that 1.8 million rentals will benefit on the one-time top-up. Can you explain how they can apply, how they will be getting this top-up benefit and how many...? Is it 1.8 million renters?