Debates of May 15th, 2023

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation—Main Estimates, 2023-24

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, I will take the party opposite's rhetoric on housing seriously when it actually produces a real plan on housing.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it was just over $600,000.

How much is the average cost today? I just want the number.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, we on this side of the House believe in the right to housing. They do not.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is $1.2 million. He does not have the numbers. I am going to answer the questions.

What is 600,000 times two?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, the hon. member should talk to members of her caucus, who believe we should do less on housing.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is 1.2 million. Housing prices in Toronto have doubled in eight years. Is that right?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, how does the hon. member believe attacking mayors will produce more housing?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, has the minister come to this committee prepared with a single answer that includes a number?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, that is the party that believes in cuts. We believe in federal leadership on housing.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, to afford an average home, which has doubled in price, can the minister tell us how much money a family needs to make each year?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, if they care about housing affordability, why did the Conservatives vote against the first-time homebuyer incentive?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I just want a number.

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, why did the Conservatives vote against supports for homebuyers?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is $207,000 a year. How much money does the minister think the median household in Toronto, the city in which he lives, makes?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, if the Conservatives are serious about rental supports, why did they vote against the Canada housing benefit, which is delivering real supports to Canadian renters?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, I just want the number. Will the minister have a single number tonight for this committee of the whole on estimates?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, the Conservatives have all the questions tonight, but they have no plan on housing, and they have no help for Canadians who actually need help with housing.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, it is just over $68,000 after taxes. Is the minister aware that the median family needs to pay three times its annual income just to buy an average home in the city he represents?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, we know that one of the solutions to higher housing prices is more supply. We brought in measures to create more supply. The Conservatives voted against it.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, does the minister have a single number tonight for estimates?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, do the Conservatives have a plan for housing, or do they just have rhetoric and buzzwords?

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, the minister is not answering the questions. Does he have a single answer for any one of the questions that I asked?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, the Conservatives do not have a plan. All they have is gimmicks and buzzwords.

[Melissa Lantsman, Conservative, Thornhill, ON]

Mr. Chair, if he does not want to speak about housing, could the minister confirm that there is no money in these estimates for racists like Laith Marouf?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, York South—Weston, ON]

Mr. Chair, I do want to speak about housing. The problem is the Conservatives have no plan, and they stand here, pretending to care about Canadians and getting help to them, but they vote against all the measures we bring to this House.