Mr. Speaker, to house asylum claimants, the City of Ottawa is proposing glorified tents called “sprung structures”. Their proposed locations are far away, about 20 to 25 kilometres, from other support systems needed for asylum seekers.
We have to treat people with dignity, and herding them into the proposed structures is not the way to accommodate them. Hence, I firmly oppose the City of Ottawa's proposal to accommodate asylum seekers in Barrhaven using sprung structures.
The city should use federal funds in a more productive way, like upscaling existing buildings that provide actual homes, security, privacy and dignity. There is a significant decrease in the number of asylum seekers. Using funds to create more livable places today means they will be available as affordable housing tomorrow.