Mr. Speaker, you will have heard me speak in the House many times about the smoke and mirror tactics of the government.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I have to begin my speech today by saying it is in the area of housing, specifically when it comes to Bill C-66, that we have probably the best example yet of a government that is prepared to trick Canadians into believing it is providing a great service on housing, while in fact it does the reverse and does as little as possible.
The parliamentary secretary tried to suggest that we have a bill before us with the great noble intention of reducing red tape. If that were the case, in the context of good public policy on housing, I would say bravo. But when we are left with a choice between reduced red tape and not having any good public social housing, then I would rather take the red tape, as would all Canadians.
Canadians want to see this government assume responsibility for an issue in society today of fundamental human rights, which is adequate shelter for all Canadians regardless of where they may live. This bill is about fundamental differences in viewpoints and philosophical approaches. Behind it all is absolutely without question a deliberate policy, a deliberate approach on the part of the Liberal government to abdicate responsibility for meeting its obligations of adequate shelter for all Canadians and offloading as quickly as possible onto other levels of government and onto Canadian individuals.
Bill C-66 complements the government's agenda of completely abdicating the field of social housing, of transferring responsibility for co-operative housing to the provinces. The government is clearly on record as stating it is not prepared to increase by one cent in the area of meeting the necessary housing requirements of Canadians.
The amendments before the House are designed specifically to require the government to get back into the housing picture, to resume its responsibilities, to restore federal involvement in such a vital social policy area.
There are many connections to be made today between this bill and the Liberal government's illusory politics. It is smoke and mirror tactics.