Debates of June 16th, 2025

Housing

[Scott Aitchison, Conservative, Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON]

Mr. Speaker, it does not just stop there. Hamilton got $93.5 million, and housing starts there are down 50%. Toronto got $471 million, and they are down 58% there. Guelph got $21.4 million, and housing starts there are down over a whopping 78%. The Liberal plan is to continue spending on city bureaucracies, and now they want to build a third federal housing bureaucracy.

When will the government learn that repeating its same mistakes and expecting a different result is not going to solve what is quickly becoming a housing catastrophe?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, there is no doubt that we have challenges with housing across the country on affordability. The good news is that we are seeing near-record-level housing starts this year. Members can cherry-pick month-to-month stats. This year, 280,000 starts is the pace we are on right now, and we need to go farther and faster. That is why we are delivering on development cost charge reductions that will bring down the cost of housing.

[Helena Konanz, Conservative, Similkameen—South Okanagan—West Kootenay, BC]

Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis is only getting worse, and the Liberals' failing programs are not helping. The Liberals' so-called housing accelerator fund is spending more but building less. The Liberals' own numbers show that Kelowna will receive $31.5 million in taxpayer dollars, even though housing starts there are down 33.6%.

Will the Liberals abandon their failing housing programs and build homes, not more bureaucracy?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I will direct the member opposite to talk with the Kelowna mayor and council about what they think about the housing accelerator program, which hundreds of mayors and councils across the country have asked their own members of Parliament on the Conservative side to support, because they want this program. They want support to scale the housing they build in their communities, and we will be there to support them.

[Kurt Holman, Conservative, London—Fanshawe, ON]

Mr. Speaker, the Liberals' own housing agency continues that after $74 million from the housing accelerator fund, housing starts in London are actually down by a whopping 72%. Meanwhile, students and young families are still being priced out of the market, with little hope of ever owning their own home. The Prime Minister promised to get the government into the business of building homes, not building more bureaucracy.

When will the Liberals finally recognize that the red tape is the problem, not the solution, and reverse these policies that are keeping young Canadians in their parents' basements?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Well, Mr. Speaker, I hope the member opposite is supportive of the work we are doing here to give first-time homebuyers, young Canadians, an opportunity, discounting their purchase price by up to $50,000 in GST relief. It is a significant effort, along with the tax cut for 22 million Canadians that makes life more affordable and enables them to access housing, and we will not stop there.

[Vincent Ho, Conservative, Richmond Hill South, ON]

Mr. Speaker, only the Liberal government could spend more taxpayer money and deliver less. Its so-called housing accelerator fund gave the City of Toronto $471 million, and what did Canadians get in return? According to the Liberal government's own housing agency, Toronto's housing starts dropped a whopping 58% compared to last year. This is a classic example of a Liberal-style failure. The Liberals spend taxpayer money, grab a nice photo op, and then walk away while fewer homes are built.

Will the housing minister finally admit that this Liberal bureaucracy fails to build homes while the next generation of Canadians fall further behind?

[Gregor Robertson, Liberal, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada]

Mr. Speaker, I want to speak strongly in support of the housing accelerator program, which has over 200 agreements with communities across Canada. The members opposite can keep criticizing and insulting their city councils and mayors, but they are going to deliver on this housing. Month-to-month statistics fluctuate, but overall we are seeing housing starts up this year, which is great, and we are seeing local communities deliver.

Natural Resources

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Ponoka—Didsbury, AB]

Mr. Speaker, this week, leaders of the G7 gather in Kananaskis. Top of mind at this summit are international peace and security. Canadian energy is a key part of this conversation. Our G7 allies, such as Germany and Japan, have spent years asking for ethically sourced Canadian oil and gas. Yet, this same Liberal government has stymied our allies for 10 years.

When will the Liberals get out of the way and approve the energy infrastructure that Canadians and our allies so desperately need?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, at the first ministers' meeting, the Prime Minister and the premiers got together and thought that the one Canadian economy act was a great idea. Managements think it is a great idea. Labour unions think it is a great idea. It would be very helpful if the Conservatives got on board and helped us get this bill passed.

[Blaine Calkins, Conservative, Ponoka—Didsbury, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of economic vandalism by the Liberals, Albertans want the walk to match the talk. It has been three months since the start of the campaign, four weeks since the throne speech, weeks since the meeting with the premiers and businesses, and yet the “no more pipelines” bill, the tanker ban, the production cap and the industrial carbon tax all still remain, and not a single oil and gas project has been announced.

When does the talk, talk, talk become the walk, walk, walk, or is this all just more Liberal squawk, squawk, squawk?

[Tim Hodgson, Liberal, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources]

Mr. Speaker, my hon. colleagues will get an opportunity later this week to put their money where their mouth is and vote for this bill.

[Jim Belanger, Conservative, Sudbury East—Manitoulin—Nickel Belt, ON]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of Liberals, Canada's pipelines are more clogged than a kitchen sink, thanks to anti-energy laws like Bill C-69, the “no new pipelines” law, the job-killing production cap and the industrial carbon tax. Our energy industry is struggling. Investment has fled, and companies will not build under these conditions.

Will the Prime Minister finally scrap this anti-energy agenda so we can sell to our allies and bring home bigger Canadian paycheques?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, when Canadians elected this Liberal government, what they asked for was for us to be able to build a strong, united country. What I hear from the opposition is division. That is not what Canadians want. What we saw when the premiers and the Prime Minister sat down together was how we are going to build together.

I hope the Conservatives are going to support our build Canada act so that we can actually get the job done.

[Luc Berthold, Conservative, Mégantic—L’Érable—Lotbinière, QC]

Mr. Speaker, we just went through 10 years of Liberal lethargy, 10 long years of Canadian complacency as the world eyed up our natural resources. This was a lost decade during which the Liberals decided to turn their backs on our allies and create the worst anti-energy environment in the G7, through anti-pipeline legislation, a cap on oil production and a ban on shipping.

The G7 summit is taking place this week right here in Canada, in Alberta. Will the Liberal Prime Minister repeal these laws that are making Canadians poorer, and will he approve energy projects that will put more money in their pockets?

[Julie Dabrusin, Liberal, Minister of Environment and Climate Change]

Mr. Speaker, when Canadians elected a Liberal government, what did they want? They wanted us to work together to build a strong country and a strong economy. That is exactly what we are doing.

When we become an energy superpower, it will be low cost, low risk and low carbon. Will the Conservatives support our bill to ensure that we can get these projects done?

Canadian Identity and Culture

[Shannon Miedema, Liberal, Halifax, NS]

Mr. Speaker, more than ever, Canadians are feeling a deep sense of pride in who we are. We are united by our shared history, rich cultures and breathtaking landscapes. In my riding of Halifax, we have the Citadel National Historic Site, which stands as a powerful symbol of our past. Nova Scotia has three world-renowned gems in Sable Island, Kejimkujik and Cape Breton Highlands national parks.

Could the minister tell us what our new government is doing to reinforce our national pride and encourage Canadians to discover all the incredible places that make Canada so special?

[Steven Guilbeault, Liberal, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture and Minister responsible for Official Languages]

Mr. Speaker, there is no better time to choose Canada, which is why today we unveiled the new Canada Strong Pass. All summer long, admission is free for national parks and historic sites, with major discounts on camping as well. What is more, kids get free access to national museums and galleries, and free or discounted fares on Via Rail.

We are encouraging people of all ages to explore the places and stories that unite us from coast to coast to coast. With the Canada Strong Pass, it has never been easier to get out and discover the best country in the world, Canada.

Public Safety

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, I attended the public safety forum in Surrey this weekend. I have to say that I felt like we were living in a violent video game: the Reflections banquet hall, shot up; Hub Insurance, shot up; strip mall, shot up. Now, in Fleetwood, an honest businessman was gunned down in his office in broad daylight, which was possibly tied to extortion. The message from these criminals is clear: “Pay up or your family will pay the price.” What is the government doing? It has wasted hundreds of millions going after licensed gun owners while gangsters roam free.

Will the Liberals commit to protecting Canadians from violent extortionists?

[Gary Anandasangaree, Liberal, Minister of Public Safety]

Mr. Speaker, first off, I had the chance to meet with the Mayor of Surrey just recently to talk with her about the concerns in her community, as well as with many of the members who represent Surrey in the House today.

Extortionists must be held to account for their crimes. We will act decisively to strengthen the Criminal Code and move aggressively to protect victims by making bail laws stricter for violent and organized criminals. Extortion with a firearm carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. We will always be there to keep Canadians safe.

[Tamara Jansen, Conservative, Cloverdale—Langley City, BC]

Mr. Speaker, extortion is up 357%, and those are the ones we know about. In Surrey, criminals are shooting up businesses and bragging about it online because they know they will not face serious jail time. People are terrified, and these gangsters are running the show. What did the Liberals do? They voted against mandatory minimums for extortion. They made it easier for violent criminals to get back on the street.

Will the government support the common-sense Conservative plan to crack down on violent extortionists, or will it keep putting criminals ahead of Canadians?

[Sean Fraser, Liberal, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency]

Mr. Speaker, in case anyone is mistaken in this House, extortion is illegal in Canada. It is punishable by serious offences. Repeated extortion with a firearm is punishable by a mandatory minimum of seven years' imprisonment and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

The Criminal Code reflects the seriousness with which we take this crime. We will do what it takes not only to punish criminals on the back end, but to give law enforcement officers the tools they need to prevent it in the first place. I hope the Conservatives will be willing to work with us to advance the reforms that will help keep communities safe.

[Amarjeet Gill, Conservative, Brampton West, ON]

Mr. Speaker, Peel Regional Police busted an extortion ring. Unfortunately, of the 18 arrested, almost half were on a form of judicial release at the time of arrest. Under the Liberal government, extortion cases are up by almost 400%.

Bill C-381, introduced by Conservatives, would have given law enforcement officers the tools they require to go after extortionists. When will the Liberals stand with hard-working families and their safety? Will they adopt our Conservative plan to crack down on violent extortion?

[Vince Gasparro, Liberal, Parliamentary Secretary to the Secretary of State (Combatting Crime)]

Mr. Speaker, the fact of the matter is that this new Prime Minister, new MPs like me and this new government take this incredibly seriously. The fact of the matter is that we are hiring 1,000 new RCMP personnel and 1,000 new CBSA members to go after the bad guys. I hope the member and all members on that side of the House will support us in the strong borders act.

[Amanpreet S. Gill, Conservative, Calgary Skyview, AB]

Mr. Speaker, after 10 years of the Liberal government, extortion has risen by 357% and Canadians are living in genuine fear for their lives. One of my constituents recently received a video from a perpetrator threatening to murder their children. People's lives are at stake, and this cannot go on any longer. We need to restore mandatory minimum penalties on extortion.

Will the Liberal Prime Minister adopt Bill C-381 to crack down on violent extortion and lock up the criminals?