Mr. Speaker, today is World Habitat Day, which gives us pause to reflect on the fundamental right to decent housing.
This is a good time to remind ourselves that the right to housing is still not recognized in Canada even though we ratified the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. We should also remember that Canada is regularly chastised by the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights for failing to take action on the housing crisis everywhere in Canada.
More and more households have core housing needs, first nations peoples are living in third world conditions, and homelessness is growing.
The Liberals have initiated consultations with a view to finally creating a housing strategy. We hope that they will take this opportunity to recognize the right to housing and put in place the measures needed to make it a reality.
I introduced a bill to that effect because I believe that a roof is a right.