Debates of Jan. 31st, 2022

Resumption of Debate on Address in Reply

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time today with the hon. member for Scarborough Centre.

It is with great pleasure that I rise today to speak in support of the throne speech. I would like to begin by thanking the people of Don Valley North for placing their renewed trust in me to be their voice in Ottawa. I am incredibly humbled by this great responsibility. As I said in my first speech in 2019, I will strive every day to ensure that the perspectives, concerns and diverse opinions and beliefs of my community are thoughtfully and comprehensively represented in the House. I would also like to thank my family, friends, staff and incredible volunteers, without whom I would not be here. I am thankful for their generosity and support every day.

In preparing for today's speech, I took some time to reflect on 2019, when I first rose in the House to give a speech. I remember my feeling of excitement and eagerness as we stared down the tremendous opportunities we faced. Little could I have imagined that within six months the world would change so drastically. Reflecting back, it was not the way I imagined I would serve my first term in Parliament. We replaced handshakes with elbow bumps, I learned a lot about Zoom, and Facebook Live took the place of in-person events.

However, after nearly two years of battling a worldwide pandemic and the devastation it brought, I can say that I am proud of the way Canadians have come together and persevered.

After enduring the long, lonely days of the pandemic last winter, none of us would have imagined we would be up against the same this winter. Canadians have made great strides in the fight against COVID-19, but the emergence of the omicron variant is a stark reminder that the battle is not over.

While the fight is not finished, Canadians have a lot to be proud of. Nearly 90% of Ontario residents 12 years and older are fully vaccinated and more than 40% have received their booster dose, and over 50% of children aged five to 11 have received their first dose, including my son.

We also know that to finish the fight against COVID-19 here at home, we need to fight it around the world. No one is safe until everyone is safe. That is why Canada is doing its part to end the pandemic by donating vaccines through the COVAX facility. Canada has already made almost 100 million doses available through donations and monetary contributions, and by the end of this year, we will donate at least 200 million doses, making Canada one of the most generous donors to COVAX.

Our country is doing its part to end the pandemic, and that is exactly what our Liberal government will continue to do. However, the job is not done yet. We need to encourage Canadians who have not yet done so to get their shots. We need to support and strengthen long-term care and improve access to mental health and addictions treatment, which many consider to be the pandemic within the pandemic.

The environment was also on the minds of many this past year. My heart goes out to those in B.C. who have been devastated by flooding and wildfires. There is no denying the impacts of climate change anymore. People in Don Valley North want to see big emitters pay the price for pollution, and I am glad to see the government is increasing the price on pollution while putting more money back into the pockets of Canadians.

I am also happy to see we are protecting our lands, waters, green spaces and ravines. We know that to create a strong economy and jobs, Canada must take bold climate action. Canada has the raw materials and skilled workforce to produce the clean products the world will need to cut pollution and transition to a green economy. It is more obvious today than ever that this is not the time to debate whether climate change is real. It is time to act. I am glad to see our Liberal government doing exactly that.

It is no surprise to residents of Toronto and Don Valley North that life has been getting more expensive over the past couple of decades, especially for anyone who is trying to buy a home. Time and again people have told me that the cost of living and housing affordability are top-of-mind issues for them. That is why I am glad to see the government will help put home ownership back in reach by introducing a series of supports for homebuyers, including a new rent-to-own program, reducing closing costs for first-time buyers and banning blind bidding. These measures will make a big difference in the lives of residents in my riding.

Citizens’ fears about violence are some of the most heartbreaking conversations to have in my neighbourhood. All Canadians deserve to feel safe in their community, but gun violence is on the rise in Toronto. The residents I talked to during the election were shocked that there was even a debate or conversation in other parties about repealing or reviewing the assault weapons ban and making our communities less safe.

However, it is not just guns that had residents concerned. Don Valley North is home to a large and proud Chinese Canadian community. These past two years have been tough as we have seen a rise in anti-Asian racism as a result of the pandemic.

As I mentioned earlier, in preparing this speech, I reviewed my remarks from 2019. In that speech, I told a story of a young mother I met while campaigning who was concerned about access to high-quality, affordable child care. It is with mixed emotions that I reflect on that encounter.

On one hand, I am so proud of what our government has accomplished to address her concerns. In just the past six months, we have signed 12 child care agreements with provinces and territories that will cut fees in half in the next year and build hundreds of thousands of new child care spaces. However, I am disappointed to see the Government of Ontario is still denying Ontario families that same opportunity. In fact, Ontario is the only jurisdiction that has not yet signed on to our plan. Families in Don Valley North, in Toronto and in all of Ontario deserve the same opportunities as families in the rest of the country.

Investing in early learning and child care is not just good for kids and for parents. It is also essential to our economic recovery. We all know that, yet with each passing day Ontario families are paying the price for Doug Ford’s inaction.

As I near the end of my allotted time, I would be remiss if I did not highlight some of the outstanding organizations in my riding that work tirelessly to support residents and contribute so much to building a strong, inclusive, supportive Canada. That could not be truer of their efforts these past two years.

In my riding of Don Valley North, organizations like the Afghan Women’s Organization, Iranian Women's Organization of Ontario, Armenian Community Centre, the Centre for Immigrant and Community Services, Working Women Community Centre, Toronto North Local Immigration Partnership and Flemingdon Health Centre are offering crucial services to new Canadians.

ACCES Employment, the Centre for Education and Training, and Springboard employment services are providing help to Canadians in search of employment and new skills.

Willowdale Community Legal Services, Adventure Place, Community Information Fairview, North York Harvest Food Bank, and religious and cultural organizations like Abu Huraira Center, Don Valley Bible Chapel and so many more are providing a space for everyone in our community to know they belong and are supported.

I am so proud of the work these organizations and so many more in Don Valley North are doing. It has been an honour to work alongside these groups these past two years, and I look forward to building on that relationship to ensure that all members of the community can succeed.

Here in Parliament, we know that Canadians are expecting us to work together and achieve results. It is a privilege to be in this place and it is something that I never take for granted. I look forward to working with all of my colleagues from all parties, in whatever form that may take, in this 44th Parliament. I am proud to support the Speech from the Throne, and I look forward to questions and comments.

[Brian Masse, NDP, Windsor West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his speech and for his work at committee. My question is about our current policies regarding migrant farm workers asked to come and assist with the supply chain issues we have. In Windsor-Essex county, we have some of the largest in the world. We actually have had migrant workers come here, contract COVID and die alone in a hotel room.

Bonifacio Eugenio-Romero was 31 years old. He died alone in a hotel room. Rogelio Munoz Santos was 24 years old. He died alone in a hotel room. Juan Lopez Chaparro in the Hamilton area also passed away. Most recently, we have had a Jamaican worker, who has not been identified yet, die alone in a hotel room.

We are waiting, despite ministers' meetings and others, for renewal funding for a migrant farm worker and isolation centre. Until we actually get that funding, the City of Windsor and this region has vulnerable populations. We see bunkhouses with outbreaks.

Where is the status of this situation? If we are asking and inviting people to come fill the holes in our economy and work alongside fellow Canadians, they should not die alone and thousands of kilometres away from their families.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to wholeheartedly thank the NDP member for bringing up this issue. Due to the pandemic, the federal government was responsible for 80% of the funding going toward fighting the pandemic, including support for temporary foreign workers. There is more to do. I said in my speech that we have to make vaccines available to everyone in this country, as well as beyond our borders.

Like the hon. member, I work closely with the organizations in my riding and recognize the challenges for both newcomers and temporary foreign workers. I want to commit myself to working with him, not just on the committee but in Parliament, to bring this issue to the surface and flag this for ministers and government to better provide supports for these workers.

[Larry Maguire, Conservative, Brandon—Souris, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I noted in my colleague's presentation today that he was talking about the inflationary value of housing over the last two decades, when Canadians are most concerned about it happening in the last three years. I just read a report this morning that it has even gone up 26.6% in the last year in many areas of Canada. There were references to these sorts of things in the throne speech last fall, but I am wondering if the government can give us a more specific explanation as to how it is going to deal with this, given that the Bank of Canada and others are considering holding the interest rates where they are.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, as a former member of the Ontario legislature, I have seen the trend of the increasing cost of housing affordability, not just within Canada and Toronto but within the entire country over the last two decades. That is why different provincial governments, including the B.C. government, and the federal government over the last several years have introduced multiple policies and regulations to try to help make owning a first home easier for many first-time homebuyers.

I am actually quite hopeful to see the regulations and policies proposed in the most recent Liberal platform enforced, including the blind bidding—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Order.

The hon. member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, my comment is along the same lines as my Conservative colleague's question.

Canada and Quebec are in the midst of a severe housing crisis. I do not think that comes as news to anyone. Last week, a study revealed that Canada has fewer housing units per 1,000 inhabitants than any other G7 country. We have around 424; the G7 average is 471. Canada is 1.8 million housing units short of the average number. This study was not done by some left-wing housing advocacy group; it was done by Scotiabank.

I think that means it is time to take action. Housing affordability is an issue, but so is accessibility, because we are 1.8 million units short. It is time to take the bull by the horns and deal with this crisis, just like the government is dealing with the pandemic. That means taking decisive, impactful action.

[Han Dong, Liberal, Don Valley North, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I just want to remind my colleagues that, since 2015, the government has provided affordable and safe homes for over a million Canadians. In the throne speech, we see various programs planned for this session. I look forward to working with all members to see those through.

I also want to point out the most recent announcement to work with the not-for-profit sector. It is very hopeful, including the rent-to-own program. I think we have to try something new and something different, rather than just throwing money at it. We have to—

[The Deputy Speaker, Conservative, Chris d'Entremont]

Resuming debate, the hon. member for Scarborough Centre.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, before I begin, I would like to note that this past Saturday, January 29, was the fifth anniversary of the Quebec City mosque shooting. It was also the national day of remembrance of the Quebec City mosque attack and action against Islamophobia. Unfortunately, it was not safe for the in-person vigil that was planned here in Ottawa to go ahead, so here today, in the centre of Canada's democracy, I want the names of the victims of this senseless act of hate and Islamophobia to be heard and to be remembered: Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Aboubaker Thabti, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzedine Soufiane.

May Allah give them the highest place in Jannah. May they rest in peace.

The people of Scarborough Centre sent me to Ottawa with a strengthened mandate and clear expectations, including affordable early learning and child care, housing affordability and good middle-class jobs as part of an inclusive recovery. I am pleased to see these priorities reflected in the Speech from the Throne. However, before we can look to the recovery, we need to finish the fight against COVID-19.

Thanks to the hard work of Canadians and governments, amazing strides have been made on vaccination. We are nearly a decade ahead of the estimates made by some colleagues across the way. With vaccinations now open to those aged five and up, vaccination rates are rising ever higher.

I have heard clearly from my constituents that they support vaccine mandates to end this pandemic. They want this pandemic to be over, and that means getting the job done on vaccines. Therefore, I say to Canadians to please, if they have not yet gotten their vaccines, when they are eligible, get the vaccine and get the booster. This is not just for themselves but for their neighbours and families, because in Canada we look out for one another.

We have heard a lot of talk lately about inflation. While economists agree this is a global and, hopefully, temporary phenomenon largely attributable to pandemic and climate-related supply chain issues, we have to acknowledge this is a real phenomenon that is impacting Canadians' wallets. I have noticed this in my weekly shopping trip with staples like milk, fruit and meat getting more expensive. While families like mine can absorb the temporary increases, for many in my riding this will mean difficult choices at the grocery store. Often it is the healthier choices that become more expensive, so we need to look at ways to allow families to be able to make healthier choices, and we need to find ways to put more money into their pockets.

The Canada child benefit put more money into the pockets of nine out of 10 Canadian families, and it is time to build on that with a national system of early learning and child care. This would be so impactful for the families in my riding of Scarborough Centre. Under the Liberal plan, an average Toronto family would save $11,197. That is a 50% reduction in fees, with even more savings coming by 2026 as we work toward $10-a-day child care. Over $11,000 staying in the pockets of families would be a real and immediate savings of almost $1,000 every month. For families in my riding, this would be life changing.

Every province and territory in Canada has now signed on except Ontario, and families in some jurisdictions are already seeing significant savings. Unfortunately for families in Ontario, Premier Doug Ford and his Conservative government continue to stall and play political games. If my colleagues from Ontario across the aisle are serious about helping families deal with the cost of living, I would encourage them to urge their provincial cousins to get on board. They should be on board, because this is not just a social issue; it is an economic issue.

Women have been slower to return to the workforce as the economy has opened back up because so often they need to stay home to take care of their children. There can be no recovery without a "she" recovery. Affordable early learning and child care is how we address the labour shortage and get the economy firing again.

If there is one issue that vies with affordable child care in importance with my constituents, it is housing affordability. Prices are out of control, and people who are renting are afraid to move as they cannot afford the increased prices. It is harder than ever for renters to become buyers, with prices for new homes out of reach. This is an issue with no easy answers and it is not an issue that any one level of government can solve alone. From the federal government bringing people together, to provincial governments making smart regulations and laws to protect tenants and buyers, to municipalities making smart zoning decisions, to the provision of funding from all governments, it will take a collaborative team Canada effort.

There will be no single silver bullet program, but the throne speech does put a number of federal initiatives forward. They include a more flexible first-time home buyer incentive, a new rent-to-own program and measures to reduce closing costs for first-time homebuyers. I am also optimistic because we now have a minister dedicated to the housing file. I wish him well in this important task.

We need strong federal leadership to bring all these stakeholders together to deliver real results for Canadians. Everyone deserves a safe and affordable place to call home and everyone deserves to feel safe and at home in Canada. Incidents of hate based on race and faith have made too many feel uncomfortable and unsafe in their communities. We cannot shy away from this painful reality. We need to work hard to ensure that everyone in Canada is safe and has the opportunity to get ahead, regardless of their gender, whom they love, where they come from, what language they speak, who they pray to or the colour of their skin. Incidents of Islamophobia and anti-Semitism leave real and lasting scars in our communities, and the systemic anti-Black racism in many of our institutions must be grappled with. We must ensure that Canada's anti-racism strategy is aligned with the lived experiences of racialized Canadians.

As well, we cannot ignore the rising gun violence experienced in many communities. I have heard strong support in Scarborough for a ban against assault weapons and for mandatory buyback. My constituents want us to follow through on these commitments and go further. We need to look at why youth turn to guns and gangs and provide more opportunities for our youth.

Finally, my constituents want to see stronger action on the environment and climate change. We have seen first-hand the impact of a changing climate. We must ensure there is a just transition so that Canadians can find good, well-paying jobs in the new green economy. We must also vote to ensure zero-emission and electric vehicles are affordable and available to the average Canadian family, while also making significant investments in public transit.

The people of my community sent me here to work for these issues that impact their daily lives. They do not want political cheap shots and partisan games. They want members from all sides to co-operate, get things done and deliver results to make their lives better. I am ready to support good ideas wherever they come from.

Let us get to work.

[Philip Lawrence, Conservative, Northumberland—Peterborough South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it has also been recognized by economists throughout the world and throughout time that monetary policy has a huge impact on inflation

Could the member please describe to me what quantitative easing is and why it will not impact inflation in Canada, as it has for every other country at every other time in the world?

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I agree that inflation is on the rise. Inflation is a global phenomenon, and we are seeing the impacts of inflation not just here in Canada but across the world. That is why it is really very important that we implement $10-a-day child care. That will put $1,000 per month into the hands of families, helping them to make life more affordable.

I hope the member will encourage members of the provincial government in Ontario to sign the child care agreement with the federal government. Every other province and territory has already signed it. I encourage Ontario to be on board so that Ontario families do not have to miss this opportunity.

[Niki Ashton, NDP, Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, MB]

Mr. Speaker, I want to begin by condemning the hateful protests we saw this week. We saw disturbing images of swastikas and Confederate flags and we heard of abuse hurled at people across Ottawa. This hate is unacceptable. I stand in solidarity with those calling on these people to leave and for us as parliamentarians to show leadership in calling out this hate and putting a stop to aiding and abetting it, as some have, and work to build healthier and safer communities all across our country.

Speaking of inequality and the challenges we are facing, nowhere is that inequality more evident than in first nations across our country, yet this Liberal throne speech makes no mention of the crisis when it comes to indigenous housing.

When is the Liberal government going to put its commitment to reconciliation into action by ending the third world housing conditions that exist in first nations across Canada, housing conditions that have led to numerous breakouts of COVID-19 and have rendered so many communities across our country unsafe for people? First nations need housing action now and need federal leadership now.

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, we have committed over $1.7 billion in funding in budgets 2017 and 2018 for distinctions-based housing strategies, including $600 million over three years for first nations housing, $500 million over 10 years for Métis nation housing and $400 million over 10 years for Inuit-led housing.

We have committed more than one billion dollars in the national first nations housing strategy, resulting in 1,429 homes being built, renovated or retrofitted and benefiting approximately 467,000 people in over 600 communities. I know more work has to be done, so I look forward to working with all the members of this House to make sure that every indigenous person has a place to call home.

[Denis Trudel, Bloc, Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC]

Mr. Speaker, in Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, people from organizations that fight homelessness, that care for the elderly or that deal with mental health problems tell us that the social fallout from the pandemic will last five to 10 years.

One of the things I hear about most is mental health. Last week, we celebrated Bell Let's Talk Day. We posted on social media and were flooded with comments. Mental health is a major problem.

How do we address this mental health issue? We do it by investing in health. The federal government has once again refused to increase health transfers. Despite the fact that Quebec and all the provinces have collectively been calling for this for years, the federal government continues to avoid investing in health. However, if we want to solve this problem as quickly as possible and enable adults, children and teenagers across the country who have mental health issues to have access to a psychologist, the federal government must contribute. The money is in Ottawa.

Does my colleague agree that it is time to invest in putting an end to mental health issues and issues associated with the pandemic?

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, health care is very important, and I want to emphasize that from day one of the pandemic we have made significant investments to make sure that Canadians have the best health care system.

Of all the money spent, $8 out of every $10 has been spent by the federal government to make sure that we have access to vaccines and to make sure that our front-line workers have appropriate PPE.

We will continue working with the provinces and territories to ensure that health care systems are properly funded and that we can quickly get through the backlog of surgeries and procedures that has built up during this pandemic.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, has the government forgotten who we work for? Let me remind everyone: We work for the people.

No one can deny that Canadians are frustrated. The events that have transpired over the last week prove this. Unfortunately, what started out as a respectful and peaceful protest turned into acts that do not reflect true Canadians. I agree with all members in the House and those watching that the use of symbols of hate and defacing a public monument are criminal offences, and these individuals should be charged. There is no room for hate.

This is a quote taken directly from the Speech from the Throne:

Canada’s prosperity – and middle class jobs – depend on preserving and expanding open, rules-based trade and ensuring our supply chains are strong and resilient.

Canadians can take no comfort from empty promises. It has been two years now since the start of the pandemic, and Canadians want things to open up for our jobs, for the supply chain, for our mental health and for honest dialogue between government and the people. This we can see from this week's events, when thousands of Canadians have come to the nation's capital to be heard, but our Prime Minister has still not addressed their concerns.

Listen to the diverse voices who speak a multitude of languages and who shape this country.

These are the words of our Governor General, which are beautiful words. However, Canadians are sick of words that our government has failed to act on. They want honesty and transparency and they want leadership.

Since the throne speech, I have heard the same stories throughout my riding, with the main one being that over 29 million Canadians have done what they were asked in order to live their lives, myself included, but every time Canadians do what is asked of them, the promise of what they will get in return is changed. The goalposts constantly move.

Olivia is a 19-year-old hard-working student who struggles with the division that has ballooned in the past couple of years. The pent-up feelings of isolation have had a profound effect on her.

This pandemic has magnified many lingering issues in our country, the biggest one being our mental health crisis. We need each other to move forward. We need a leader to acknowledge that each voice is important.

Health care workers have exhausted their resources and mental health during this pandemic, because the root cause of this issue still has not been addressed. Where in the Speech from the Throne does it acknowledge our lack of resources for our health care system? The reality is that it all comes from the top, and until our government recognizes that we need to increase health transfers to our provinces and territories to give them the resources necessary to protect Canadians, we will keep having Groundhog Day.

I have voice mails and emails from exhausted health care workers who feel like they have not been heard or acknowledged. The fact that they still do not have adequate forms of PPE and testing two years in is a disgraceful treatment of the people we call heroes. The reality is that until we have a health care system that can manage the patient load from the variants and still provide life-saving surgeries and tests, we will never get out of this.

I want to address this quote from the throne speech: “As we move forward on the economy of the future, no worker or region will be left behind.”

Since being named shadow minister for tourism, I have been meeting with key stakeholders in the industry, who have all said the same thing: “Lift the travel restrictions and open up Canada for business.” Why has the government left the tourism industry behind when it contributes a significant portion of our economy?

First-time homebuyers are also being left behind by this government. Peter and Julie are a young couple from my riding. They are 26 and 24. They both have well-paying jobs, one in engineering and one in the trades. Peter and Julie want to buy a home. They have been searching for months. One house came on the market listed at $499,000, but within eight days, there were 53 offers and the house sold for $802,000.

If our next generation cannot afford housing, that is a serious issue, and it certainly does not feel like no worker will be left behind. Our government is leaving a whole generation behind.

From the time we are born, we are taught to listen to the people in charge. We are taught to follow rules. What happens when the person in charge does not listen to the people? One thing many constituents have said to me is, “Do not just criticize. Offer solutions.” I am imploring our Prime Minister to acknowledge all Canadians, and I am imploring Canadians to listen, even if they disagree, and to be respectful and tolerant of each other. That is the solution to build trust. A reputation is not built on saying what one will do, it is built on what one actually does.

Here is another quote from the Speech from the Throne: “We will always stand up for a brighter future for all.” Who is “all”? The government has left too many behind. We need a new government. We need to act on our words. I have been a voter for a lot longer than I have been a politician, and I know how people feel. I hear the words, and I believe our members all feel the same way. We all want out of this, but we have to address what is going on.

We have to have honest dialogue. We have to acknowledge a question, and we have to look at this question. How did we get to a point where thousands of people drove thousands of miles to have their voices heard? We need to ask how we got here.

The conclusion of the Speech from the Throne states,

This decade is still young. With compassion, courage, and determination, we have the power to make it better than how it started.

But that can only happen by standing together.

What is “standing together”? Standing together should be truly having the backs of Canadians. It should be working together and listening to each other. It should be opening up our economy so we can get back to work. This economic crisis is a mental health crisis. The government has failed Canadians throughout the pandemic because it has forgotten that we work for the people.

[Leah Gazan, NDP, Winnipeg Centre, MB]

Mr. Speaker, the federal government has indicated it is a feminist government. However, it made no mention in the throne speech, for example, of sexual health.

We known that reproductive justice is critical for gender equality. This includes the right for individuals to freely make choices about their reproductive health and to have access to reproductive services, yet in Nova Scotia sexual health centres are having to close their doors between April and September due to limited funding. Nine provinces have in fact declared outbreaks of sexually transmitted diseases. The Halifax Sexual Health Centre has been unable to access STI testing due to being stretched thin to meet the needs during COVID testing.

Does my hon. colleague agree that we need the federal government to immediately invest in sexual health services?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, gender equality and investing in proper education are always critical. Our party will continue to stand up for these rights. I welcome that dialogue with the member.

[Mario Beaulieu, Bloc, La Pointe-de-l'Île, QC]

Mr. Speaker, further to my earlier question to the member's colleague, I would like to know if a Conservative government will impose federal standards in areas of provincial jurisdiction.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it is interesting to look at all of the protesters who have driven across the country when so many of the issues they are protesting are in fact under provincial jurisdiction. Why? It is because it comes from the top down.

I will go back to my point and what I was saying. Until we address health care transfers, we are not going to move forward. The Liberal government had promised 7,500 health care workers. Where are they?

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Government in the House of Commons (Senate)]

Mr. Speaker, it is great to be back after spending time in our constituencies. The member spoke at length about the problems being faced in the country right now and then said something very interesting. She said that part of leadership is offering solutions, yet she did not seem to present a single solution in her 10-minute speech. As a matter of fact, she talked at length about one of the big problems we have in the country right now, and that is specifically as it relates to housing.

What is the Conservatives' solution to housing? If she does not know what that is, can she give us some idea of what her own personal suggestions would be toward offering solutions, considering that she is so interested in offering those solutions?

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, unfortunately, I do not think the member heard, so I am not sure if his earpiece is working. The solution proposed was to listen to the people. Unfortunately, because he works for the government, he was not able to listen to me as well.

[Mark Gerretsen, Liberal, Kingston and the Islands, ON]

I am listening now, Mr. Speaker. Can the member give us some actual suggested solutions to the housing crisis? I am all ears.

[Michelle Ferreri, Conservative, Peterborough—Kawartha, ON]

Mr. Speaker, what is interesting is that I sent the member an email asking him to help me and my riding get affordable housing and he has yet—