Mr. Speaker, tomorrow is National Housing Day. The City of Richmond Hill in my great riding of Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill received a $31-million investment through the housing accelerator fund. I advocated for this as the city's MP because it had presented an ambitious housing plan backed by a solid record.
Mayor David West calls this funding essential to removing barriers and empowering builders to create the housing Richmond Hill needs. The Leader of the Opposition now says he would cut this vital program as part of his so-called housing plan, a plan that benefits those who could already afford to buy a home and the developers building new homes. It provides no support to municipalities to ensure builders can and will build the homes that are needed.
He has even barred his MPs from advocating for housing funds for their ridings. This is reprehensible. Our most important role as MPs is to represent our constituents and to advocate for them, but Conservative MPs are being muzzled and told not to do this.
Tomorrow, on National Housing Day, I exhort all Conservative MPs to stand up to their leader, advocate for their ridings and help their municipalities get the support they need to provide the housing their constituents need.