Thank you, Mr. Chair.
Here we are discussing very important, arguably historic, legislation that is before this committee, legislation that shows what's possible when parties collaborate towards a common goal, and that is to support workers across this country. If anything needed to be exposed about the Conservative discourse recently, that whole messaging around workers and how they're “the party of workers”—they say—has been exposed today. Why put this motion forward when we're discussing such an important issue at the committee with respect to the legislation?
Regardless, housing is a critical issue. We're glad to take up the motion that's been introduced here. What I would propose is the following amendment, and that's been circulated to the clerk already.
The first paragraph would be dropped. It would begin, “According to a recent report”, and so on and so forth, ending at the word “levels”. It would continue with “The average Canadian family must now pay 63.5% of their pre-tax household income in order to afford mortgage payments on a typical home in Canada.” That would conclude the second paragraph.
Then finally, “Therefore the Committee invite the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities and RBC Assistant Chief Economist Robert Hogue to testify before the committee on the study of homelessness and affordable housing adopted on February 12, 2024.”
I'll remind you, Mr. Chair and colleagues, that this particular motion opened the door to a housing study that will be taking place at the beginning of June, if my memory serves. I think we agreed to it at the subcommittee on an existing agenda. These issues are important, but so are the other issues that are before the committee.
I think we're acting in good faith here to have the witnesses the Conservatives want to come before committee at the appropriate time, when we take up the housing study. It will be an important housing study—and I look forward to it very much—to explore the various ideas that each of the parties has on housing and to see how this committee can make a constructive contribution towards the entire issue of housing in Canada.