Debates of Jan. 30th, 2024

Housing

[Shelby Kramp-Neuman, Conservative, Hastings—Lennox and Addington, ON]

Mr. Speaker, those are more empty words while Canadians are spiralling out of control. It is not only home ownership that the Liberal-NDP government has managed to turn from a dream into a nightmare but also rent. In the last two years alone, rents have increased by 22%. That is nearly $400 a month. After eight years of its war on affordable housing and rent, the government is forcing Canadians out from the suburbs and into tent cities in parking lots.

When will the government stop the photo ops and actually fix the housing and affordability crisis that is hammering Canadians?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, for years, the Conservative approach to policies that would actually help people was to prey on their anxieties rather than to advance ideas that would actually address them.

The member is supporting her leader's plan, which is going to build fewer homes than we are already on track to build. We have removed the GST from apartments to help bring down rent. She is campaigning on a commitment to put that GST back on for a lot of middle-class apartments, which would increase the cost of living. When it comes to affordable housing, we have put programs in place to support their construction. They have promised to cut it.

We are going to continue to put money on the table to build more homes. The Conservative's policies would drive up rent.

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Before I give the member for Louis‑Saint‑Laurent the floor, I would urge all members to show respect for those listening to the interpretation and refrain from commenting during questions and answers.

The member for Louis‑Saint‑Laurent.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, the impact of the Liberal housing crisis is devastating.

Yesterday, Radio-Canada reported that university students in Montreal are having to go to Auberges du cœur, a homeless shelter. According to the president of the Fédération étudiante collégiale du Québec, “This speaks to the magnitude of the crisis. Going there is not a solution. It takes spaces away from people experiencing homelessness.” This kind of thing should not be happening in Montreal. It should not be happening in Canada.

The Bloc Québécois supports the Liberals' economic policies, but when will this government understand that inflationary budgets help nobody?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Housing]

Mr. Speaker, we understand well the challenges that young people in this country are facing when it comes to finding a place to live that they can actually afford.

That is why, just yesterday, we advanced a new policy that is going to make low-cost loans available to build more student residences across this country. We are going to continue to advance policies that do not just allow students to find places they can afford next to where they go to school but that are going to free up supply that exists within communities today.

The Conservatives will tap into people's anxieties for their political gain. We will advance policies that actually address them.

[Gérard Deltell, Conservative, Louis-Saint-Laurent, QC]

Mr. Speaker, there is no political gain. This is the truth, the reality of Canadians on a daily basis.

What has this government achieved over the past eight years? It has doubled the cost of rent and doubled mortgage payments. We need 3.5 million new houses. We barely got 35,000 last year. Two million Canadians are using food banks. That is not politicking; that is the Liberal record.

When will this government act in the best interest of all Canadians?

[Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Liberal, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec]

Mr. Speaker, I thank my opposition colleague and I can see he is very passionate about this.

Having said that, I am happy to be on this side of the House, with a government that began rolling out the very first national housing strategy in 2016 to put a roof over the heads of Canadians across the country, rather than with a party that wants to insult the mayors of our cities, because when someone insults mayors in Quebec, they are insulting all Quebeckers.

Grocery Industry

[Rachel Blaney, NDP, North Island—Powell River, BC]

Mr. Speaker, no one should miss a meal.

However, seniors in Canada cannot afford sky-high grocery prices. While big grocery CEOs rake in record profits, seniors are making difficult decisions at the grocery store. It does not stop there. Loblaws even tried to cut discounts on nearly expired food. Corporate greed has no limit.

While the Liberals continue to let it happen, the Conservative opposition wants to let those big companies get even more of a payout. Why are the Liberals allowing CEOs to gouge Canadians?

[Seamus O'Regan, Liberal, Minister of Labour and Seniors]

Mr. Speaker, we remain focused on the affordability needs of seniors.

In fact, we are very proud on this side of the House that one of the first things we did was to make sure the age for OAS was maintained at 65 years old, not 67. This was not a change that should have been made here in the House or a change that should have been made at the World Economic Forum, which it was, in Davos, Switzerland.

Instead, we are maintaining and increasing supports for seniors in this country.

Foreign Affairs

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, when it comes to the over-25,000 Palestinians killed by Netanyahu's brutal bombardment, the Liberals have done nothing to uphold international law and to protect innocent civilian lives. When it comes to Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate crimes, the Liberals have failed to stop it here in Canada.

The community feels so betrayed that yesterday, the National Council of Canadian Muslims cancelled their meeting with the Prime Minister because they are tired of his broken lies—

[Some hon. members]

Oh, oh!

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

The hon. member is an experienced parliamentarian. He knows very well that we cannot accuse hon. members of deliberately lying. That is unparliamentary language. I will ask the hon. member to withdraw that comment.

[Matthew Green, NDP, Hamilton Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, I withdraw it, because they are tired of the broken promises.

What will it take for the Liberal government to listen, to start protecting Palestinian lives in Gaza and to combat Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian hate here in Canada?

[Ahmed Hussen, Liberal, Minister of International Development]

Mr. Speaker, this gives me an opportunity to talk about the announcement we made today to deal precisely with this issue. There is $40 million, additional, to deliver life-saving food, medicine and other supplies to Palestinians through trusted international partners, including the World Health Organization, the World Food Programme, UNICEF and many others. We have always centred our decisions around the protection of innocent civilians in Gaza, and through this allocation, we have upped our game to $100 million in humanitarian assistance to Palestinians.

Diversity and Inclusion

[Salma Zahid, Liberal, Scarborough Centre, ON]

Mr. Speaker, for the past few months, there has been a significant rise in hate impacting communities across the country. All of us have a role to play during these difficult times to bring Canadians together.

Can the Minister of Diversity, Inclusion and Persons with Disabilities share some of the measures we have taken to support Canadians and to encourage unity?

[Kamal Khera, Liberal, Minister of Diversity]

Mr. Speaker, during this difficult time for so many communities, we know there is still more that unites us than divides us as Canadians. That is why I am pleased to announce $3 million toward a building community resiliency call to action. This funding seeks to support local initiatives that drive positive change by building bridges and connecting communities together.

When it comes to fighting discrimination and racism, let us learn about each other from one another. Our focus continues to be working together to heal divides and to protect communities from hate right here at home.

Housing

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, this government has been in power for eight years. Let us consider the damage it has done to our country. This Liberal Prime Minister has plunged Canadians into the worst housing crisis. We Conservatives have a plan: We will reward cities that accelerate housing construction, like Saguenay, Trois-Rivières and Victoriaville.

What does the Prime Minister have to say to desperate families that are unable to afford rent or those who cannot find housing?

[Pablo Rodriguez, Liberal, Minister of Transport]

Mr. Speaker, it must be extremely difficult to be a Conservative member from Quebec.

Members will recall that before the holidays, the Conservatives repeatedly voted against Quebec, against the Plains of Abraham project, against farmers, against the Magdalen Islands and against the St-Tite festival. This year, their leader added fuel to the fire by coming to Quebec and insulting all Quebeckers and our leaders.

I urge the member to leave the dark side and come join us in working for all Quebeckers.

[Joël Godin, Conservative, Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier, QC]

Mr. Speaker, again, this government is spreading disinformation.

The member for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine is also misleading the House. She should worry about her own region. The Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands are grappling with an unprecedented housing crisis. Members do not have to take my word for it. This is coming from Ambroise Henry, the director general of the Groupe ressource en logements collectifs, the communal housing resource group in the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands.

What is she actually doing to help the people of the Magdalen Islands find a solution for housing?

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I often have a hard time hearing the members on the far side of the room. I would ask the member for Lac-Saint-Jean to be quiet when members are asking and answering questions.

The hon. Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Minister of Fisheries]

Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned yesterday, I would say to my colleague across the way, who tells us to get off our islands, that we have indeed left our Magdalen Islands and that Magdalen Islanders have gone all over Canada. These are people who are involved in their community.

If he has a backbone, he will stand up and apologize to Magdalen Islanders.

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

Members know full well that they cannot impugn the reputation of another member. I invite the minister to withdraw her comments about the member for Portneuf—Jacques-Cartier.

[Diane Lebouthillier, Liberal, Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, QC]

Mr. Speaker, I apologize.

[The Speaker, Greg Fergus]

I thank the minister.

The hon. member for Dufferin—Caledon.

[Kyle Seeback, Conservative, Dufferin—Caledon, ON]

Mr. Speaker, every day the Minister of Housing rises in the House, he has a new program, a new announcement. The cheque is in the mail. All of these things—