House of Commons Hansard #197 of the 44th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was chair.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act Report stage of Bill C-282. The bill seeks to amend the Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Act (supply management) by adding a clause that would prevent the Minister of Foreign Affairs from making commitments in trade negotiations that increase tariff rate quotas or reduce tariffs for supply-managed products. Its sponsor, the Bloc Québécois' Luc Thériault, argues it will protect Canada's supply management system from further concessions in future trade agreements. The Liberal government supports the bill, while the Conservatives express concerns that it could hinder broader trade negotiations and negatively impact other agricultural sectors. 7600 words, 1 hour.
Bill S-5—Time Allocation Motion Members debate a Liberal motion to impose time allocation on Bill S-5, An Act to amend the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. While Liberals and NDP argue the bill has received extensive study and debate and it's time to act for environmental protection, Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois criticize the government for limiting debate on legislation. 4900 words, 35 minutes.
Strengthening Environmental Protection for a Healthier Canada Act Report stage of Bill S-5. The bill seeks to modernize the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), recognizing a right to a healthy environment for all Canadians and strengthening protections against toxic substances. It aims to improve chemical management, address cumulative effects on vulnerable populations, and enhance transparency. While broadly supported, some members, like the Bloc Québécois, express concerns about the bill's ambition, perceived federal overreach into provincial jurisdiction, and lack of enforceability for the new environmental right. 22700 words, 3 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
First Nations Fiscal Management Act Third reading of Bill C-45. The bill amends the First Nations Fiscal Management Act to expand the services and capacities of First Nations-led financial institutions, and establishes a First Nations Infrastructure Institute. This aims to improve infrastructure outcomes and support First Nations' self-determination and economic reconciliation by allowing them to assert jurisdiction in financial management, taxation, and access to capital markets. Some Conservatives support the bill but argue for further measures to remove federal "gatekeepers," while the NDP supports the bill as a step towards self-determination but notes it does not absolve the government's responsibilities. 5700 words, 45 minutes.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24 Members debate the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's estimates, primarily focusing on the nation's housing crisis. The Conservative Party critiques the Liberal government's policies, arguing they have doubled housing costs, mortgage payments, and rent, and failed to increase supply. They also question the CMHC's performance bonuses. The Liberal government defends its National Housing Strategy, highlighting investments like the Housing Accelerator Fund, programs for first-time homebuyers, and efforts to combat homelessness, while accusing the Conservatives of voting against these measures. The Bloc Québécois and NDP raise concerns about the lack of social housing, financialization of housing, and the urgent needs of vulnerable populations and Indigenous communities. 35300 words, 4 hours.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Scot Davidson Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, the cost is now over $2,500 in York Region. It is enough to make most Canadians' eyes water. It has become far out of their reach. In York Region alone, house prices have gone up 122% since 2013. I will ask the minister something else: When is the last time he applied for a building permit?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, I respect the hon. member's history as a mayor. I respect all mayors, unlike his party leader who has called mayors incompetent. He has called them “woke” and he has attacked them and he has promised to hit their pocketbooks. Instead, we are working with mayors to build more housing supply.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Scot Davidson Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, just to correct the minister, I was never a mayor. I was a small business person before I got into politics.
Does the minister know personally how long it takes to apply for a building permit?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, that is exactly what the housing accelerator fund is trying to do. It is to speed up the permitting and delivery of housing. Unfortunately, the Conservatives did not support it.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Scot Davidson Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, I would like to know from the minister just how long it takes now to apply for a building permit.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, the Conservatives can play these games all night if they wish. Different local municipalities have different timelines for permits.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Scot Davidson Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, to Canadians now this is not a game. These are questions this housing minister should know as a representative of Canada. These are important issues to Canadians. For a building permit now, the time has increased from 90 days to almost a full year. This is unacceptable right now. This is due to red tape and various other things that are happening in municipalities and it is unacceptable. Builders are calling me all the time about how long it takes to get conservation authority approval, truss designs and on and on. Red tape now costs an extra $350,000 per house in somewhere like Toronto and $650,000 in Vancouver. Why has the minister's government done nothing to cut the red tape that we see now?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, nothing could be further from the truth. That is why we introduced the housing accelerator fund. It is to work with municipal governments to speed up the permitting of housing and the delivery of housing. The very red tape that the hon. member is talking about is exactly what we are addressing through the housing accelerator fund. It is a $4-billion program to invest directly in local authorities and local governments and municipalities to speed up the permitting and delivery of housing. I am surprised at this new-found concern about red tape when the Conservatives get up in the House and ask these questions, but when it comes time to actually do something about it through programs like the housing accelerator fund, they vote against those very programs.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Scot Davidson Conservative York—Simcoe, ON
Madam Chair, I can say what I would not do. I would not give the gatekeepers at CMHC $27 million in bonuses. If we look at where housing has gone in Canada, this is rewarding something that just is not happening at CMHC. Does the minister agree that, instead of finding new ways to line their pockets, the CMHC should be focused on lowering costs for housing for Canadians?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, it is right on brand for the party opposite to attack civil servants and to attack Crown corporations that are serving Canadians. The member knows, or at least ought to know, that no minister of the Crown is responsible for or able to determine the employee compensation of Crown corporations.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, I would like to ask the housing minister what the average cost of government fees per unit of housing is.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
York South—Weston Ontario
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen LiberalMinister of Housing and Diversity and Inclusion
Madam Chair, the party opposite and the member opposite do not even believe in Canadians' right to housing. We on this side of the House believe that. They do not. We are investing—
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
NDP
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, the answer is $200,000.
I just want to tell people who are watching at home this is a situation where we, as the opposition, have an opportunity to speak on behalf of Canadians watching at home to get answers from the housing minister, because we do have a housing crisis in the country. We are trying to get answers for Canadians.
How much of the housing market is not-for-profit?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, what Canadians deserve is members of Parliament to support solutions that actually work on the ground, like the housing accelerator fund and like the rest of the programs in the national housing strategy. If the hon. member cared about these issues, she would have voted for these programs that are making real changes in the community.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, the answer is 5% of the market.
How much of the market does the national housing strategy fund?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, the hon. member and her party do not care about affordable housing, because every time we bring forth investments in affordable housing they vote against them.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, the national housing strategy only funds not-for-profit, which is 5% of the market, so how does the housing minister propose to fund and meet the demand of the housing shortage by only funding 5% of the market?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, I would invite the hon. member to actually take a second look at the national housing strategy, because that is inaccurate. We do fund private developers to also build more rental supply in Canada.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, does the minister know how much homelessness has increased in my hometown of Peterborough since 2018?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, in fact, in the time we have been in office, we have doubled funding to help people experiencing homelessness.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, the answer is 350%.
Does the minister know how many people died in the Toronto shelter system this year?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, every single individual experiencing homelessness is a tragedy for our community, but we are investing more than any government.
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Conservative
Michelle Ferreri Conservative Peterborough—Kawartha, ON
Madam Chair, the answer is over 100 people.
How many Canadians reported that homelessness is a problem in their community?
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24Business of SupplyGovernment Orders
Liberal
Ahmed Hussen Liberal York South—Weston, ON
Madam Chair, the proof is in the votes. If the hon. member and her party cared about homelessness, then why did they vote against increasing investments?
