Debates of April 17th, 2024

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister blamed immigration for housing costs and the immigration minister who caused it all. Then he made that minister responsible for housing. Since that time, the minister has had a $4-billion housing accelerator program that he admits will not build any specific homes. In fact, since it began, housing starts have gone down this year, and his housing agency says they will go down next year and the year after that.

How is it that the Prime Minister can spend $4 billion on a housing accelerator program that decelerates homebuilding?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I am happy to talk about the housing accelerator program, because it stands in direct contrast to any plan that the Leader of the Opposition has put forward to pick fights with municipalities and provinces on housing. We are actually stepping up with investments and allowing for more densification, for four units as of right, to make sure there is better use of public lands, including by municipalities and provinces. We are making sure we are changing the math around building affordable homes to unlock millions of homes over the coming years.

This is the work that we are doing right across the country with people who are ambitious about solving the housing crisis. If the Leader of the Opposition does not want to help solve it, he needs to keep getting out of the way.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, it was solved when rent was $973 a month, until he came along, but this is more proof that he is not worth the cost after nine years. He is blaming the whole world. If the world were to blame for the housing problems in Canada, then why is it that housing here is 50% to 75% more expensive than in the United States?

Why is it that housing costs have risen faster than in any other G7 country relative to incomes? Why is it that we have the fewest homes per capita, despite having the most land and the most lumber? Why is that? Is it him?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the member opposite well knows that Canada's population is growing faster than our fellow countries around the world, and that is a good thing. It is a good thing that we continue to draw in people to be successful in this country.

It is also extremely important that we recognize that, even as the world is faced with challenges with inflation, disrupted supply chains, getting over the pandemic, conflicts and shifting geopolitics, Canada is on more of a solid footing fiscally than any of our other G7 partners, with a lower debt-to-GDP ratio, a lower deficit and a continued focus on creating the jobs of the future that Canadians need.

The Budget

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, with his budget, the Prime Minister is recognizing that the issues that are really important to Canadians fall under the jurisdiction of Quebec and the provinces.

Therefore, he is shamelessly using the fiscal imbalance, thanks to which he has a lot more money than he should, while Quebec and the provinces have less.

Does he recognize that, to implement his budget at the expense of Quebec's jurisdictions, he is grossly abusing the spending power instituted by former Prime Minister Trudeau?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, while the Bloc Québécois continues to look for a fight, we are working hand in hand with the Government of Quebec.

With our housing accelerator fund, we have invested across the country, including in Quebec. Since Quebec was prepared to work ambitiously with us, we were able to invest $900 million directly in the province, and Quebec matched that amount to invest in housing.

That is the kind of partnership that will deliver results for Quebeckers. It is a model for the other provinces as well, because we will be there to build houses and homes across the country.

[Yves-François Blanchet, Bloc, Beloeil—Chambly, QC]

Mr. Speaker, Ottawa is working so hand in hand with the Quebec government that the Conservatives are recruiting from the CAQ.

Will the Prime Minister admit that, by failing to meet his obligations, he is responsible for a $6-billion deficit in Quebec City, that he is responsible for making Quebeckers shoulder $8 billion out of his $40-billion deficit, and that he has just put Quebeckers $14 billion in debt in one year?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, once again, all the Bloc Québécois wants is to pick fights in Ottawa. We are here to work in partnership with the Quebec government. Of course, we will not always agree on everything. That would be a little too boring. We need creative tension, and we have it.

That is exactly what has produced results in terms of investments in housing and in Quebec's manufacturing future, investments that are creating solutions with long-term jobs for Quebeckers. We are here to work in partnership, and we will continue to do so.

Housing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, because of his centralizing ideology, this Prime Minister has declared that housing is a federal responsibility. That means the results are his responsibility. Montreal has seen a 200% increase in rental costs over the nine years this Prime Minister has been in power. He is not worth the cost. All his interfering in the jurisdictions of Quebec and the other provinces has only succeeded in inflating the cost of housing.

Will he take personal responsibility and shoulder the blame for inflating the cost of housing?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we can see the Conservative leader's philosophy very clearly. He sides with those who are better off. He tells everyone else that they are on their own and that he will not be there to support them. That is what he stands for when he pushes austerity and budget cuts.

We have chosen to work in partnership with the mayor of Montreal, with the Premier of Quebec and with premiers across the country to build housing to address the pressures we are experiencing in Canada, much like elsewhere in the world.

We are here to create a stronger, fairer future for every generation. That is the job of this budget.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister says that this is all about fairness. I am going to take him at his word and read the story of Emily, who told the Toronto Star that she could afford a home in 2015 with a mortgage of $2,000, but after the Prime Minister's inflationary deficits ballooned mortgage rates, she lost her home and now she rents a small apartment for $4,000. It is so small, she says that she can smell her own neighbours.

Has the Prime Minister been fair to Emily?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, our economy cannot succeed unless young people are successful, and that is why the focus in the budget is on fairness for every generation, which is why we are asking the wealthiest 0.1% to pay more in taxes to be able to support families such as Emily's and others across the country who have lost the dream of home ownership because of the way the global economy is going and because of the pressures they are living. This is why we are continuing to step up, but what we do not see is why the Conservative leader continues to stand with the ultrawealthy, continues to block attempts to invest in dental care for people with low-incomes—

[The Speaker, Liberal, Greg Fergus]

The hon. Leader of the Opposition.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, that was exactly the promise he made nine years ago. He said that Emily would not have to pay any more, that some rich guy would pay, but since then, his trust fund has not paid any more taxes. The billionaires who host him on private islands do not pay any more taxes, as they hide their money abroad, but Emily is paying. She is paying $4,000 a month for an apartment that is so small she says she smells her neighbours.

Is the Prime Minister treating Emily fairly?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives' solution for Emily is for governments to do less to support her, to do less to invest in the child care she may or may not need for her kids, to do less for support for her parents or grandparents, who can go to the dentist because of a Canada dental program, which the Conservatives have blocked. Their solution is to do less for the investments that are going to support building more infrastructure in her community, whether it is public transit or, quite frankly, the investments that are going to ensure more apartment buildings, more affordable rentals and more affordable homes are being built. He wants to do less for Emily; we are doing more.

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, in 2015, Emily had a home with a mortgage payment of $2,000. Now she has an apartment with a rental payment of $4,000.

How can he possibly suggest she is better off paying twice as much to rent a place than she was, under Conservatives, owning one?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, how can the leader of the Conservative Party actually believe that doing less to invest in Emily's future is of help to her? He is standing here continuing to push for austerity and cuts to programs and cuts to the kinds of supports that, yes, Canadians need more than ever before because the world is a much more challenging place. That is why we are continuing to step up. That is why we are asking the wealthiest 0.1% to pay a little more, which is something that he is standing against, and he will be voting against because he is still in the pockets of the ultrawealthy instead of focusing on Canadians who need it.

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, young Canadians have heard the Prime Minister's broken promises for years. Seven years ago, he promised to fix the housing crisis, but what did he do? He built luxury apartments that no one can afford, and he let speculators drive up the cost of homes. We know he has never had to worry about making the rent.

Does he regret the bad decisions he has made that have put us in this mess?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, in 2017, we created the national housing strategy, which put millions of families into homes across the country. We have continued to step up with investments, including last year with the housing accelerator, which has delivered increased densification and is going to be building thousands upon thousands of homes over the coming years. We are continuing to step up in this budget, which is focused on fairness for every generation to make sure young people can again see a pathway to home ownership and can be able to afford rents in the cities in which they work. These are things we are continuing to do because Canadians need it.

Indigenous Affairs

[Jagmeet Singh, NDP, Burnaby South, BC]

Mr. Speaker, there is something very wrong when a Prime Minister does not have a problem keeping the Conservatives' $60-billion corporate handout but denies indigenous children the dignity of safe housing and decent schools, and denies communities the same access to good roads and clean water.

How can the Prime Minister look indigenous people in the eyes after putting the greed of CEOs in front of the needs of indigenous families?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, we have continued to step up over the past years for reconciliation and investing in indigenous communities. This budget has put aside a billion more dollars on top of all the investments we have made for indigenous housing. That is part of the $9 billion of investments we are talking about for indigenous communities over the coming years. We know there is always more to do, but we will be there, hand in hand, with indigenous communities and leadership to make sure we are closing the gaps and building the strong future that is part of the journey of reconciliation.

Families, Children and Social Development

[Sonia Sidhu, Liberal, Brampton South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, too many children are going to school on empty stomachs, and that is not fair. It was our Liberal government who enhanced the Canada child benefit and brought home our $10-a-day child care and many other supports Canadian families rely on.

Could the Prime Minister inform the House of the next steps of our plan to support middle-class families in getting ahead?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Brampton South for her hard work.

While the opposition leader is taking cues from his lobbyist entourage on how to make the rich richer, we are investing in programs to help middle-class Canadians. Yesterday's budget includes a national school food program. It is expected to provide meals for more than 400,000 kids a year and save the average family as much as $800 per year in grocery costs. This is what the Conservative leader has already announced he will be voting against.

Carbon Pricing

[Pierre Poilievre, Conservative, Leader of the Opposition]

Mr. Speaker, after nine years and much spent, there has not been a single meal served.

What the Prime Minister has served up is a tax on the food of the very children he claims to want to help. It is a tax that will cost every single middle-class family more than they get back in rebates, according to a scientific study by the Parliamentary Budget Officer. It is a tax he increased by 23%.

If he really wants to stop the hunger for one in four kids in schools today, will he axe the tax?

[Justin Trudeau, Liberal, Prime Minister]

Mr. Speaker, just this past Monday, millions of Canadians received the Canada carbon rebate in their bank accounts, which puts more money in the pockets of eight out of 10 Canadian families across the jurisdictions in which it applies, according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. That is eight out of 10 families, which are middle-class and lower-income families.

However, the Leader of the Opposition chooses to stand once again with the wealthiest families, the ones with big indoor swimming pools and nine big cars. Those are the things the Conservatives are choosing to stand with because we are putting more money back in the pockets of Canadians.