Mr. Speaker, November 22 marks National Housing Day in Canada and tomorrow we will have little cause to celebrate.
Over 30 years ago Canada signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights saying out loud to the world that there is a right to housing in Canada, but three million Canadians do not have access to affordable housing.
We need a national housing strategy, especially now in these tough economic times ahead. There is no better time than now to build, as economists are urging infrastructure spending to boost the economy. Building new, energy efficient housing and fixing up the existing stock would create jobs, fight climate change, and ensure truly affordable housing for people living in poverty.
In these tough economic times let us not lose sight of who makes up the real economy, of what needs to be done, who we are and who we represent.