Mr. Speaker, I will be sharing my time with the hon. member for Kingston and the Islands.
As I rise for the first time as the member for the new riding of Scarborough Centre—Don Valley East, I would like to thank the residents of my riding for electing me to be their strong voice here in Ottawa. My pledge when I first ran in 2015 was that I would be my community's voice in Ottawa and not Ottawa's voice in my community. That is how I have governed myself for the last 10 years, and this will continue to guide me in all I do here.
I would like to thank all of the many volunteers who helped me knock on doors, make phone calls and put up signs. I thank them for their dedication and support. I thank my amazing campaign team and my staff, specifically Jeff Jedras, my campaign manager, and Nusrat Malim. Both have been working with me for the last 10 years and have worked hard to serve and fight for the community every day. I thank them for that. I also thank my family, my husband Salman and both my boys, Umaid and Usman. Nothing is possible without their love and support.
As we return to Parliament as a new government with a renewed mandate, let us pledge ourselves to not just work for those who voted for us. Let us pledge to work for all Canadians. This was my fourth election, and in many ways it was the most difficult. A record number of signs were destroyed, and volunteers were targeted and verbally abused. There was a level of anger and hostility that I have not seen before.
While I will never condone harassment and abuse, we must recognize that many Canadians are hurting. They are finding it harder to make ends meet. They feel like, no matter how hard they work, they cannot get any further ahead. They worry about what they will leave to their children. We may have different ideas about how we solve these issues, but it is important to acknowledge that we see them too. We share these same worries. Their concerns are valid, and they are our concerns too. I hope, as we return for the 45th Parliament, we can listen more than we speak, try to understand where each other is coming from and work together on the things that unite us, such as wanting to build a better community and a better country, and do better for our next generations.
I am here today to speak to a Conservative motion that purports to be concerned with affordability, a concern my constituents and I share. Indeed, affordability was a major focus of our government's throne speech, which was recently delivered by His Majesty King Charles III. I had the brief opportunity to speak with His Majesty in the other place following the speech. I mentioned to him that I was born in England in Coventry. I was born there, as my father studied at the university there. I was born in England, raised in Pakistan and immigrated to Canada, all Commonwealth countries.
The Commonwealth, the sovereign and the values they represent have always been very dear and important to me, and I was gratified to see those values reflected in the Speech from the Throne. On the campaign trail this spring, I heard three key messages: stand up for Canada; build more homes people can afford; and make life more affordable for everyone. The government's agenda, as outlined in the King's speech, tackles all three issues.
The Prime Minister and his government have been clear that we will resolutely defend Canada's sovereignty. It is time for a reimagined, balanced relationship with the U.S. that prioritizes our economic strength and independence, and we need to broaden our relationships. That means building stronger relationships with global trading partners and working to tear down internal trade barriers. It should not be harder for an Ontario business to sell to British Columbia than it is to sell to Colombia.
Our plan for a more affordable Canada starts with a middle-class tax cut that would save the average two-income family up to $840 a year, effective Canada Day. That is more money in the pockets of my constituents to help pay for groceries and other expenses. That is just one example of how we are helping Canadians cope with everyday expenses.
Enrolment in the Canadian dental care plan is now open to all eligible Canadians. With one in four Canadians saying they could not visit an oral health provider because it was too expensive, our plan is helping over eight million eligible Canadians without insurance get access to the dental care they need.
We are also helping with affordability by taking the GST off homes at or under $1 million for first-time homebuyers. That is up to $50,000 to help Canadians entering the housing market for the first time, meaning lower mortgage payments and more money to help cover other expenses. Our government will also continue to build on programs such as the Canada child care program, which is saving Canadians thousands of dollars and allowing parents to return to the workforce sooner.
Let us talk about housing. In recent years, this has been the number one issue my constituents have raised with me. Whether it is apartments, townhouses, duplexes or detached homes, in my area and in many areas across the country there is a real lack of housing that people can afford. Simply put, Canada needs to build more homes that people can afford. How do we do that? It is time to think big, with the most ambitious housing program in Canada since World War II. We will double the rate of homebuilding while creating an entirely new housing industry. We will do it with Canadian lumber, Canadian technology and most important of all, Canadian skilled labour.
The housing crisis demands bold action. “Build Canada homes” is our plan to construct 500,000 affordable homes annually, doubling the current rate. By investing dollars in prefabricated housing and in low-cost financing, we will cut costs and build faster. We are eliminating red tape, halving development charges and using federal lands for affordable housing. Inspired by our postwar success, we will create jobs, train workers and ensure that every Canadian can afford a home in a community they love.
We cannot solve the housing crisis alone; “build Canada homes” needs provinces and cities to join us. By aligning zoning laws, streamlining permits and sharing costs, we can build 500,000 affordable homes every year. Provinces can reduce the bureaucratic hurdles, and cities can prioritize high-density projects. Together, we will ensure that every Canadian has a home. Together, we can build a stronger, fairer Canada for all generations.
We must be clear-eyed about the challenges Canada is facing. Our economy is under attack. The world is an increasingly dangerous place, and Canada is not an island.
However, with challenges comes opportunity. The true test of Canada will be in how we choose to meet this challenge, so let us seize this moment to think big and dream bigger, to not just build new alliances but to lead them, and to model not just Canadian values but Canadian ingenuity. Together, there are no challenges we cannot meet. Let us bet on team Canada, because together we are the true north strong and free.