Mr. Speaker, recently the Conservatives voted down an NDP bill to create a national housing strategy and resorted to spreading manifestly false information that placed a ridiculous price tag on this non-spending bill.
In my riding of Toronto—Danforth, constituents understand the facts. They are concerned about substandard housing, unaffordable rents, job insecurity and homelessness in our city. The people of Toronto—Danforth understand that good-quality housing is not only a key component of poverty elimination, but also a social determinant of health. They also understand that homelessness costs the Canadian economy $4.5 billion each year, such that a housing strategy is nothing but fiscally responsible.
Investing in people is sound economic policy. For example, we must work with other levels of government to promote co-operatives, such as the successful Riverdale and Bain co-ops in my riding.
New Democrats will continue to put forward practical solutions to ensure everyone has a safe, secure and affordable place that they can call home.