The hon. member for Parry Sound—Muskoka has the floor.
House of Commons Hansard #20 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-5.
House of Commons Hansard #20 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was c-5.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
The Application of Standing Order 69.1 to Bill C-5 Jenny Kwan argues Bill C-5, which addresses domestic trade barriers and infrastructure project acceleration, contains unrelated matters and asks the Speaker to divide it for separate votes under Standing Order 69.1(1). 800 words.
One Canadian Economy Act Report stage of Bill C-5. The bill, An Act to enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act, aims to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and expedite major projects deemed in the national interest. Members debated amendments to Clause 4 concerning project approval, oversight, and exemptions from other laws. While parties largely support reducing trade barriers, concerns were raised about the bill's impact on indigenous rights, environmental protection, provincial jurisdiction, and the process used, with some criticizing the government's approach and lack of transparency. 34500 words, 6 hours in 3 segments: 1 2 3.
Voting Pattern for Report Stage of Bill C-5 Members raise a point of order regarding the grouping of amendments for voting on Bill C-5, arguing that motions concerning different subjects should be voted on separately. 600 words.
Criminal Code First reading of Bill C-218. The bill amends the Criminal Code on medical assistance in dying, raising concerns about MAID becoming available solely for mental health challenges starting in March 2027. 400 words.
Voting Pattern for Report Stage of Bill C-5—Speaker's Ruling Speaker rules on points of order regarding Bill C-5, upholding the non-selection of report stage amendments not submitted in committee by a deadline, but granting separate votes on two other motions. 500 words.
The Application of Standing Order 69.1 to Bill C‑5—Speaker's Ruling Speaker rules on Bill C-5 point of order, agreeing with the member for Vancouver East to divide the vote at third reading because the bill's two parts lack a common element, despite the request being made late. 900 words.
Steel and Aluminum IndustryOral Questions
Scott Aitchison Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government's own housing agency has given up on the concept of housing affordability. It reported that Canada needs to build 480,000 homes a year to restore affordability, something TD Bank says is impossible. Earlier this week, the latest housing minister boasted that he was on pace for 280,000 starts this year, and he plans for 500,000 a year.
In the GTA and the Lower Mainland, the bulk of our housing market starts have gone off a cliff, so the question is simple: If we are to take the minister at his word, where are the other 200,000 units coming from?
Caroline Desrochers LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, contrary to everything we hear from the other side of the House, we are doing our jobs.
There is an action plan, and affordability is central to the mandate of “build Canada homes”. We will build more affordable and social housing to support low- and middle-income families. We have the most ambitious plan in decades. We are committed to building twice as many homes. We will do so using Canadian innovation, Canadian labour and Canadian lumber, steel and aluminum.
That is how to build the Canada of tomorrow.
Scott Aitchison Conservative Parry Sound—Muskoka, ON
Mr. Speaker, it sounds like more bureaucracy, and I will give an example of Ottawa bureaucracy.
Here in the city of Ottawa, the federal government closed its training centre. Nine years later, it finally sold that training centre to its own federal housing developer at market price. Then it took the federal developer five years and 79 different reports at the city planning department to deal with the neighbours and the local Liberal MP, who tried to block the redevelopment. Construction finally started. It took 16 years for the federal government to turn its land, using its developer, into 1,100 desperately needed homes.
Why does the government think that more bureaucracy is the solution?
Jenna Sudds LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Government Transformation
Mr. Speaker, our new government is committed to ensuring that federal procurement is conducted in an open, fair and transparent manner.
When it comes to the situation in question, I would point to the investment that our government made most recently through the housing accelerator fund here in the city of Ottawa. This is our commitment to work with municipalities to ensure that we get the housing built that we need.
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON
Mr. Speaker, under the government's watch, the housing crisis has reached an unprecedented precipice, and no number of recycled ministers will hide the fact that the Liberal government is responsible. The CMHC's own numbers have declared the death of housing affordability across this nation, and the government's solution was to appoint a minister who as mayor of Vancouver was responsible for one of the worst housing and affordability epidemics we have ever seen.
Will they simply stop talking about the housing crisis that exploded under their watch and actually do something about it?
Caroline Desrochers LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I think we all agree that there is a housing crisis. This is why the government is getting back into the business of building. This is why we will power innovation with modular and prefabricated homes. We will do it by reducing red tape, increasing efficiency and streamlining operations. We will do it at a very fast speed. This is what we promised Canadians and this is what we will deliver.
Shelby Kramp-Neuman Conservative Hastings—Lennox and Addington—Tyendinaga, ON
Mr. Speaker, the best time for action was 10 years ago.
Given the fact that a government agency said Canada needs to double down on construction to restore affordability, will the government get out of the way and recognize that building bureaucracy does not build homes?
Caroline Desrochers LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, I invite my colleague to read the Liberal platform. We have made major commitments with respect to transforming government operations. We got to work as soon as we returned.
The “build Canada homes” initiative will help make it easier to get housing built faster. That is what Canadians need now.
Scott Anderson Conservative Vernon—Lake Country—Monashee, BC
Mr. Speaker, in communities across the North Okanagan, families are being pushed out of the housing market. Young people cannot afford to buy and seniors are being forced out of the communities that they themselves built. Meanwhile, the Liberal government still has no budget, no plan, no urgency.
While young families and seniors are begging for the Liberals to get housing built, the Prime Minister, much like the last one, is more focused on political optics than shovels in the ground. When will the Liberal government stop dragging its feet, deliver a budget and finally take responsibility for the housing crisis it helped create?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, when we came to office, the first thing we did was take the GST off new homes for first-time homebuyers. This government has proposed a series of measures, beginning with the national housing strategy back in 2018. The member was not here, but the Conservatives have opposed every single one of these measures. Whether it is affordable housing or social housing, every single housing initiative put forward by this government and every single plan that my hon. colleague described, they are against. Where is their housing plan?
Dan Muys Conservative Flamborough—Glanbrook—Brant North, ON
Mr. Speaker, under the Liberals, Canadians are being forced to skip meals just to pay the rent. A new report from Royal LePage shows that 39% of Ontario renters are cutting back on food and essentials just to stay housed. Even the CMHC is waving the white flag, admitting its own housing targets are not possible under the Liberal government. This is what failure looks like: unaffordable housing, stalled construction and Canadians falling further behind.
With alarm bells ringing all over the place, when will the Liberals finally admit that their housing plan isn't working?
Ryan Turnbull LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Finance and National Revenue and to the Secretary of State (Canada Revenue Agency and Financial Institutions)
Mr. Speaker, when we exploit people's hardship and vulnerability for political gain, when we base our political hopes on the failure of the economy and when we dismiss the potential of Canadian innovation to solve the challenges that we face, as Conservatives do every day in this House, we are not just betting against our government; we are betting against Canadians.
On this side of the House, we will bet on Canadians every single day. Why? It is because we know they will overcome the greatest challenges we face.
William Stevenson Conservative Yellowhead, AB
Mr. Speaker, years of poor forest management contributed to fires that devastated a third of the homes in Jasper last year. Parks Canada red tape, controlled by the Liberal government, is delaying the construction of new homes. Its process has just exacerbated the housing crisis in the region. Despite the Liberal government allocating $160 million, its solution seems to be treating Jasperites like inmates and housing them in ATCO trailers, as in a remote work camp.
Is the Liberal solution to housing shortages to put people in sea cans for storage?
Steven MacKinnon LiberalLeader of the Government in the House of Commons
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives are now really reaching. They are accusing the government of not living up to its responsibilities for conservation or responsibilities to national parks in this country. This government has prided itself on coming to the aid of communities, whether it be with housing assistance or any other kind of assistance. We have had a devastating wildfire season, provoked in no small part due to the climate change we are experiencing.
This government will continue to respond to Canadians' needs for housing and for good management.
Jason Groleau Conservative Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, Radio-Canada has now documented the fact that housing prices in the Chaudière-Appalaches region have skyrocketed by 46% since 2021. That is insane.
I asked the housing minister about his department's biggest program. He could not even answer me. He does not even know about it. That is both disappointing and concerning.
I am new here, but does the housing minister actually deal with housing?
Caroline Desrochers LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure
Mr. Speaker, as my colleague noted earlier, we have a national housing strategy that is second to none. We will double the construction of new homes.
We concluded an historic agreement with Quebec on the housing accelerator fund. We have invested $900 million. Quebec has also invested $900 million. Real housing units are being built. People are actually living in them now.
We are getting things going, we have already started and we will keep going. As I said, we are using Canadian innovation, Canadian lumber and Canadian workers. We have a plan.
Jason Groleau Conservative Beauce, QC
Mr. Speaker, more of the empty replies that we keep hearing. I have been here for four weeks. People elected us to ask the Liberals questions and to make them accountable to the people of Beauce. The Liberals are not answering us. They are thumbing their noses at us. It is disrespectful.
We are trying to be polite, rigorous, respectful. We always get the same old song from them, the same refrain. It is disappointing. The price of housing keeps rising. Building more homes is the Minister of Housing's job.
Let me ask a simple question. Can the housing minister do his job or not?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for his highly pertinent questions. Our goal is to be able to work with him, through Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions, for instance, so that even businesses in the Beauce region that manufacture prefabricated homes can have a hand in achieving the housing priorities of the minister and the government. I look forward to working with him. We need to create jobs, and we need to build homes.
Giovanna Mingarelli Liberal Prescott—Russell—Cumberland, ON
Mr. Speaker, our national aerospace industry is a great example of Canadian entrepreneurship. With the unjustified tariffs creating so much uncertainty for our businesses, it is more important than ever to support this sector.
Could the minister of industry, science and innovation tell us about her visit to the international air and space show at Le Bourget, where she represented Canada's aerospace industry?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague from Prescott—Russell—Cumberland for her excellent question and her outstanding work.
Canada has a strong aerospace sector, but we need to go even further. We need to do more to help the industry. We got some good news at the Le Bourget air show. A Polish company, LOT Polish Airlines, placed an order for 40 Airbus A220 aircraft, with the option of purchasing 44 more. They will be built in Mirabel, Quebec. France is also purchasing some GlobalEye aircraft from Bombardier.
We will create jobs. We will strengthen our aerospace industry.
Burton Bailey Conservative Red Deer, AB
Mr. Speaker, after a decade of Liberal anti-energy policies that drive out investment and plunge business confidence down, even the Liberal House leader has admitted on TV that the government cannot get anything built, despite years of defending Trudeau's actions. Canadians want to see projects growing and energy flowing, but until destructive Liberal laws like Bill C-69 are gone, it is just more empty promises.
If the Prime Minister wants Canadians to believe anything he says, then he will fully repeal anti-energy laws and get pipelines built.
Tim Hodgson LiberalMinister of Energy and Natural Resources
Mr. Speaker, we will present the members opposite an opportunity to build. We will present the one Canadian economy bill. We will rapidly advance projects of national interest and build one economy, not 13. The bill will grow the economy and make Canada the strongest economy in the G7. We hope they will join us in voting for it.
Jeremy Patzer Conservative Swift Current—Grasslands—Kindersley, SK
Mr. Speaker, Canadian farmers work hard to feed the world, but they are taking losses from trade barriers imposed by China. Saskatchewan normally exports close to $1 billion in peas to them, but thanks to action by the Liberal Prime Minister, our exports are dropping. Saskatchewan farmers have already lost out on half of their pea exports to China, and now there is a 100% tariff on the rest.
The Prime Minister promised to be different from Justin Trudeau on trade, so why is he still doing nothing to help our farmers out?
Heath MacDonald LiberalMinister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Mr. Speaker, we have an immense responsibility to address these challenges. We are in a triangular trade war with two other countries. We are doing everything possible to keep the lines of communication open, and we will continue to do that.
We are investing in farmers. We are investing in ag stability. We are investing in ag marketing. We are continuing to do everything we can.
I had the opportunity to visit the prairie provinces last weekend to speak first-hand to farmers. We have some of the best farmers in the world on the cutting edge of technology.