Debates of Feb. 7th, 2024

Housing

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Madam Speaker, it is quite the contrary. The government has made historic investments in transit infrastructure.

Though my prepared remarks and the question were originally based on housing, I am happy to have a conversation with the hon. member on the transit investments not only in British Columbia, but throughout the country.

The Government of Canada shares the hon. member's concern with respect to housing that far too many Canadians are struggling to keep a roof over their head, and those affected most are our most vulnerable neighbours. That is why we are urgently addressing this issue.

Finding solutions to Canada's housing crisis is one of our top priorities. We are already making deep investments in affordable housing through the national housing strategy. This $82-billion plan focuses, first and foremost, on providing housing for our most vulnerable neighbours: women and children fleeing family violence, seniors, indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, those dealing with mental health and addiction issues, veterans and young adults.

The rapid housing initiative, for example, is expected to create more than 15,500 permanent affordable homes across the country. These homes are being built rapidly to address the most urgent needs of those experiencing or at risk of homelessness. Several cities in my colleague's province have already benefited from this funding, including Vancouver, Surrey and Burnaby.

The national housing co-investment fund is another program geared toward helping our most vulnerable populations. It provides low-cost loans and contributions to non-profit organizations to build affordable housing. It has already committed funding to build close to 40,000 new homes and repair more than 126,000 existing homes.

In addition, our new housing accelerator fund will provide incentives to municipalities to make the changes they need to get more homes built faster. This will help clear up red tape and make the zoning changes needed to quickly get more shovels in the ground.

At the same time, we know more must be done because, while the NHS is on track to meet its goals, it is not enough. Far too many Canadians continue to struggle to find adequate and affordable housing. We are rolling up our sleeves and working even harder and smarter with partners across the housing sector to make a difference.

The recently announced GST exemption and additional financing available through Canada Mortgage Bonds recently announced by Finance Canada will also help spur construction of purpose-built rentals. This will go a long way to addressing the shortage of rental homes, bringing down rents for middle-income and low-income Canadians alike.

I invite my colleague and all members of this House to work with their communities to make the most of the national housing strategy programs and other initiatives.

I also invite all members to stay tuned for news of more of the measures we will be introducing to address Canada's urgent housing shortage and bring back housing affordability for all.

[Bonita Zarrillo, NDP, Port Moody—Coquitlam, BC]

Madam Speaker, I find it really frustrating that the government brings prepared notes, because they can only answer one thing and do one thing at a time.

I want to talk about the fact that in my riding there was the first-ever purpose-built rental building built about five years ago after 40 years. The Liberal government had promised a GST exemption in its 2015 election campaign, and that is why we got that building in Coquitlam. Then the Liberal government reneged on the promise, and it cost the developer $500,000 in GST. The government received many letters from the developer, and nothing was ever done about it.

I know the Liberals cannot do two things at once, but I want to talk about tradespeople who are being exploited by the government. No lack of doctors—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. parliamentary secretary has the floor.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Madam Speaker, it is interesting that the hon. member would get up to criticize a member for reading from notes, when she was holding a note in her own hand and reading from it; unfortunately that is what we are dealing with tonight.

She did have a very good question on housing, with respect to vulnerable people. I agree; more needs to be done. The government has proposed many measures. I look forward to her community's stepping up and applying. I look forward to more housing announcements throughout the country, especially for seniors, whom she addressed in her question and many of whom are at risk. We are ready to work across the aisle to get the projects built.

Foreign Affairs

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, four months ago I was on an airplane, and my phone started going off. I knew what was happening when I saw images of women with blood between their legs, in their sweat pants. Four months ago today, an atrocity of gender-based violence was committed by Hamas against Jewish women, because they were Jewish. It was an extreme example of the use of rape and gender-based violence as a tool of war. These women were used as a tool of extremism and genocide, and the world did not care.

We went through the #MeToo movement. Across the world, it does not matter what religion women are and it does not matter where they are, women's bodies are always used as tools of war and oppression, but this was an extreme example of that. After the #MeToo movement and after the world's lack of recognition of what happened to these women four months ago, I had to wonder whether it is “me too, except if I am a Jew”.

Canada's response on this, the fact that the Canadian government was so slow to condemn the rape and torture of Jewish women by Hamas, is a stain on Canada's ability to speak up against gender-based violence, and that has not been addressed in this place adequately in any way, shape or form.

When I asked at the time the question I am posing again today, which is whether the government would condemn, and push the United Nations to condemn, the rape of Jewish women, there was obfuscation. I am just going to say that everybody should be uncomfortable with that in this place. I stood here years ago, making the same case for Yazidi women who were raped, tortured and sold into sexual slavery at the hands of ISIS. They still have no justice to this day. In fact, some of the perpetrators and the sympathizers of the rapists and torturers were welcomed back into Canada with open arms.

Do members know what happens when there is no justice for rapists? That says to do it again with impunity, and that is exactly what happened on October 7. That uncomfortable truth should make the skin of every person in this room crawl with shame.

Rape and torture as a method of war should make nobody comfortable. There should be zero comfort with that, and the fact that the Canadian government took so long, equivocated and put up its finger to test where the political winds were blowing before condemning the rape and torture of women is really disgusting. Therefore, I will ask the government this: Why did it take so long for the government to condemn? I do not even think the government has done that.

What is the government doing? What actions is it taking to reform the UN to ensure that the delay it took in condemning the rape of Israeli women—

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The hon. parliamentary secretary.

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the question and follow-up from the hon. member. She is right that what occurred was absolutely horrific.

I will reiterate what the government has stated, that we are all appalled by the alarming reports of brutal and targeted sexual and gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and against hostages they took on that day. We call for a rigorous investigation that prioritizes the rights, needs and safety of those affected.

Using sexual violence as a tactic of war is a crime. We support Israel's right to defend itself in accordance with international law. Hamas is listed as a terrorist organization in Canada, and the Government of Canada has a no-contact policy with this entity.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs has publicly stated that we believe Israeli women. Sexual and gender-based violence increases and is exacerbated by conflict and crisis settings. Too often, issues faced by women, such as those faced by all women across this conflict today, are secondary considerations in conflict situations. That is why, for over 25 years, Canada has historically led on the biennial resolution on the elimination of violence against women and girls at the Human Rights Council.

Canada has also supported the UN Security Council resolutions on conflict-related sexual violence since 2000.

Canada has a feminist foreign policy and a feminist international assistance policy that also prioritize the protection and needs of women in conflict situations. This means, for example, that Canada continues to implement the women, peace and security agenda, which helps ensure that women and girls are fully part of our response.

UN Women is a long-standing partner of Canada when it comes to advancing gender equality globally. We value the excellent work of the agency, in many challenging contexts, to promote the empowerment of women and girls, as well as its global leadership on emerging issues impacting the health and rights of women and girls around the world. UN Women, which the original question was about, publicly stated, “We unequivocally condemn the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israel on 7 October. We are alarmed by the numerous accounts of gender-based atrocities and sexual violence during those attacks.”

We expect UN Women, the UN system and member states to draw swift attention to conflict-related sexual violence and ensure that humanitarian response efforts adequately address the needs and rights of crisis-affected women and girls, in all contexts.

In addition, the UN special representative, Pramila Patten, has expressed grave concern about reports of sexual violence against hostages in Hamas captivity and accepted an Israeli invitation to make an official visit to Israel to learn first-hand about the experiences of victims and survivors. Canada welcomed that statement and the visit. We support her engagement on this matter.

As leaders in upholding and advancing the women, peace and security agenda, Canada calls upon its partners to go a step further. We must not only put the security of women and girls first and foremost, but we must also ensure that women's voices are a part of finding a solution.

In conclusion, every woman and girl has the right to live free from violence, regardless of their religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, and social and economic status. Let us stand together to protect all women and girls in this terrible conflict and prioritize women's leadership in all aspects of a future peace process.

[Michelle Rempel, Conservative, Calgary Nose Hill, AB]

Madam Speaker, I believe that the head of the UN Women association that my colleague mentioned made some sort of ridiculous statement about the need for the victims of this sexual violence to do more, saying that they were not doing enough to get justice. No, the world owes these survivors justice.

UN Women has done nothing, zero. Right now, the Canadian government should be condemning UN Women for its inaction and looking to reform the agency to actually get justice for the survivors of sexual violence, be it Israeli women or the women of the Yazidi community, who have seen no justice for the atrocities they have endured.

What material actions is the Canadian government taking to reform UN Women? What leverage are they using to see reforms so justice for women is not platitudes and asking—

[Chris Bittle, Liberal, St. Catharines, ON]

Madam Speaker, once again, we are appalled by the alarming reports of the brutal and targeted sexual violence and gender-based violence perpetrated by Hamas on October 7, 2023, and call for rigorous investigation, prioritizing the rights, needs and safety of those affected. UN Women has also unequivocally condemned the brutal attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, including the reports of sexual and gender-based violence.

The UN special representative of the Secretary-General on sexual violence in conflict, Pramila Patten, has accepted an invitation to Israel where she will hear the testimonies of survivors of the Hamas attacks and meet with former hostages.

The Prime Minister has spoken about the impact made by Canadian Israeli peace activist Vivian Silver, who was killed by Hamas in Israel on October 7. He praised her dedication to building bridges between Israelis and Palestinians, and he noted that she exemplifies what it means to be Canadian and to be engaged in the world in positive ways.

[The Assistant Deputy Speaker (Mrs. Alexandra Mendès), Liberal, Alexandra Mendes]

The motion to adjourn the House is now deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1).

(The House adjourned at 8:10 p.m.)