House of Commons Hansard #77 of the 45th Parliament, 1st session. (The original version is on Parliament's site.) The word of the day was benefit.
This summary is computer-generated. Usually it’s accurate, but every now and then it’ll contain inaccuracies or total fabrications.
Canadian Multiculturalism Act Second reading of Bill C-245. The bill proposes to exempt Quebec from the Canadian Multiculturalism Act, allowing Quebec to apply its own model of interculturalism. Bloc Québécois members argue this respects Quebec's distinct nationhood and linguistic identity. Liberal members counter that multiculturalism is a shared Canadian value that strengthens diversity and can coexist with French in Quebec. Conservative members criticize Liberal policies but emphasize unity within multiculturalism. 7200 words, 1 hour.
Protecting Victims Act Second reading of Bill C-16. The bill aims to reinstate mandatory minimums, strengthen victims' rights, and address gender-based and intimate partner violence, and child protection. Conservatives argue it contains a "poison pill" allowing judges to override mandatory sentences and criticize Liberal "soft-on-crime policies" for rising crime rates. Liberals accuse Conservatives of "filibustering". The Bloc raises concerns about federal funding for provincial justice administration, while the Green Party questions the effectiveness of mandatory minimums. 8600 words, 1 hour.
Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Act Second reading of Bill C-19. The bill, Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit Act, proposes to replace the existing GST credit with a more generous benefit to help low- and modest-income Canadians afford groceries and essentials. The Liberal government states it will increase the benefit by 25% for five years starting in July 2026 and provide a one-time payment equivalent to a 50% increase this year. Conservatives argue the bill is a "band-aid solution" that fails to address the root causes of food inflation, which they attribute to government policies and taxes. The Bloc Québécois supports the measure for vulnerable families but suggests monthly payments and questions the bill's timing and impact on seniors' benefits. 32300 words, 4 hours in 2 segments: 1 2.
Voting Procedures in the House—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules on voting procedures, clarifying that an electronic vote counts if an in-person vote is invalid due to the member not being in their seat. The Speaker emphasizes proper decorum during recorded divisions. 500 words.
Requirement of a Royal Recommendation for Bill C-222—Speaker's Ruling The Speaker rules Bill C-222 requires a royal recommendation and clarifies voting procedures, stating electronic votes can be valid if in-person votes are not legitimate, prompting discussion among Members on decorum and rules. 1100 words, 10 minutes.
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, the member opposite should study the facts. The price of housing across the country is coming down. Average rents are coming down. Mortgage rates have come down.
Our plan is working to deliver on affordability. We saw solid housing starts in this last year. We are focused on delivering that affordability with all types of housing across the country, in partnership with communities, provinces, territories and indigenous nations.
Tamara Jansen Conservative Cloverdale—Langley City, BC
Mr. Speaker, this did not happen by accident. Homes did not just suddenly become unaffordable on the Canadian side of the border. Government policy made them that way, and that is why sales are collapsing. Builders are laying off workers, and young Canadians are forced to leave.
Will the Prime Minister admit that his housing policies are the reason young Canadians can afford a home 30 minutes across the border but not here? Will he finally remove the roadblocks that are driving our talented kids out of Canada?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to the most aggressive investment in affordable housing in Canadian history. That starts with the first-time homebuyers' tax break of $50,000. The members opposite stalled it all through last year. We are bringing that forward and delivering it for young Canadians.
We have $13 billion in this budget to deliver for Build Canada Homes, making sure we are building co-op housing and affordable rental housing, with $1 billion for supportive transitional housing to help solve the homelessness crisis.
Gabriel Hardy Conservative Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, for several years now, young Canadians have been finding it increasingly difficult to purchase their first home. Over the past decade under the Liberal government, home ownership among 30- to 34-year-olds has fallen by nearly 10%, and eight out of 10 Canadians say that buying a home is something only rich people can dream of. Not to mention that 90% of gen Z and millennials say they are really concerned about the housing crisis.
How can the Prime Minister claim that his plan is working when young Quebeckers are realizing that, despite their efforts and hard work, they will never be able to afford a home?
Nathalie Provost LiberalSecretary of State (Nature)
Mr. Speaker, we have to work to get results, and that is what we are doing. My children are familiar with the issue raised by my colleagues opposite. I have four children. They want to own their own homes, and we are going to find solutions.
That is why we have committed to Build Canada Homes. We are already taking action. We also made an announcement with the Government of Quebec in support of infrastructure, because we need more than just houses. We also need water and electricity. We also need roads and schools. We are committed to this.
My colleague and his team are hard at work. We want homes for our children. That is what we are doing.
Gabriel Hardy Conservative Montmorency—Charlevoix, QC
Mr. Speaker, despite an unprecedented home ownership crisis, with young families struggling to become homeowners, only five out of every 10 new homes built are intended for purchase. The rest are intended to be rentals. On top of that, 38% of builders are saying they have been forced to lay off workers this year, and 86% of them are concerned about the future of their businesses. Basically, the government is promising construction, but delivering hot air. Even the Bank of Canada has acknowledged that real estate activity is moderate and often even declining.
When will the Liberal government finally take real action, remove bureaucratic barriers and give young Canadians real access to home ownership?
Nathalie Provost LiberalSecretary of State (Nature)
Mr. Speaker, the first-time homebuyers' tax credit is a real solution for young people who want to become homeowners, and it is one of the practical measures that we are taking today to give them access to home ownership.
My colleague also mentioned the challenges facing the construction industry. In fact, what we are hearing from the construction industry is that it needs measures like the ones we are taking to revive the market. Jobs will be created in construction. Jobs will be created to renew our industries. We are creating a more efficient industry. This means more jobs and more purchasing power for Canadians. We will get there. To do so, we need to work as a team.
Sandra Cobena Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, in my community, police officers, firefighters, paramedics and nurses cannot afford to buy homes in the communities they serve. Eighty-seven per cent of Canadians are now worried about the housing market, and 86% of builders say they might not survive the next 12 months. In the middle of a housing crisis, homebuilding should be accelerating. Instead, home sales are down 45% in the GTA.
When will the Liberal government finally cut bureaucracy, speed up approvals and get homes built so that Canadians can afford a home?
Rachel Bendayan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, our government has a plan to double housing construction across the country. That plan is stuck at the finance committee because Conservatives like to complain about young people not having a home to buy. However, when the solution is right in front of them, they obstruct and they block the progress of our bills.
We are going to double housing construction in this country, and we will do it with or without the Conservatives.
Sandra Cobena Conservative Newmarket—Aurora, ON
Mr. Speaker, this is the same Liberal government that campaigned on building at speeds not seen in generations, but in the last year, home sales are down 45% in the GTA. The Canadian Home Builders' Association warns that allowing these conditions to continue will create a lost decade for home ownership. The longer the government delays, the more businesses will close and the more Canadians will lose their jobs. Canadians were promised a path to owning a home and they are still waiting.
When will the Liberals get their bureaucracies out of the way so Canadians can afford a home?
Rachel Bendayan LiberalParliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister
Mr. Speaker, when the Prime Minister and our entire caucus was in Alberta, we heard about the need to move quicker on the construction of homebuilding, and that is what we are delivering. Our plan will double construction for homes right across this country, for rental and for purchase, and it is going to respond to the needs of the youth of Canada. Our plan is stuck because the Conservatives refuse to move it out of the finance committee.
When will the Conservatives stop talking and start acting in order to help us build this country?
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
Mr. Speaker, according to a Missing Middle Initiative report, 69% of Canadians say unaffordability is reshaping who can live in their communities, and nearly half of young Canadians have considered leaving their city or province just to find an affordable home. Meanwhile, ownership-focused housing starts have fallen from 69% to 49%, and Canadian home builders warn that this could be a lost decade of home ownership. The Prime Minister promised hope for first-time buyers, but young Canadians see falling sales, lower home ownership rates and the Canadian promise slipping out of reach.
When will the Liberal government stop the bureaucracies, stop the rhetoric and the taxes that block construction, and finally deliver results and homes that young Canadians can afford?
Adam van Koeverden LiberalSecretary of State (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, while it is heartening to hear the Conservatives talk about affordable housing, it would be nice if they actually voted in favour of some of the policies that would help get affordable housing built.
A couple of years ago, we invested a novel $1.5 billion into new co-op housing builds, and that means that there are 3,500 units under construction right now. We are having Canadians move into those homes. We are ramping it up. We are building more affordable housing. The Conservatives continue to stigmatize affordable housing, calling them shacks and Soviet-style housing. The Conservatives talk a really good talk on housing, but they should vote in favour of some policies that actually get them built.
Vincent Ho Conservative Richmond Hill South, ON
Mr. Speaker, touting a fourth Liberal housing bureaucracy is an admission that the first three bureaucracies failed.
The Bank of Canada said housing activity is subdued or declining in most cities. New home sales are down 45% in the GTA, 52% in the Golden Horseshoe and a staggering 56% in Vancouver. Builders are laying off workers, projects are being shelved and first-home buyers are being squeezed out. After years of broken Liberal promises, rhetoric and photo ops, home ownership is slipping out of reach at unimaginable speeds.
Will the Prime Minister admit his approach is failing, work with Conservatives and finally drop the photo ops, rhetoric and costly bureaucracies that are obstructing young Canadians from finding a home?
Adam van Koeverden LiberalSecretary of State (Sport)
Mr. Speaker, the Conservatives talk a good talk on affordable housing, but when it comes time to actually vote in favour of policies that get affordable housing built, they are nowhere to be seen. For the last year, they have been filibustering in committee, making sure that really important policies do not follow through. They ought to stop filibustering in committee.
We have a first-time homebuyers incentive. We have more shovels in the ground, and housing starts were up last year. Conservatives talk a big talk on housing, but it is time to walk the walk.
Costas Menegakis Conservative Aurora—Oak Ridges—Richmond Hill, ON
Mr. Speaker, in the last year, new home sales are down across the country. They are down 45% in the GTA, 52% in the Golden Horseshoe and 56% in Vancouver. The Canadian Home Builders' Association said that allowing these sale conditions to continue will create a lost decade for home ownership in Canada. The Prime Minister promised that the Liberals would help Canadians buy their first homes, but home sales have plummeted during his time as Prime Minister and young Canadians are losing hope.
When will the Liberals adopt our plan to remove the HST from all new home builds so more Canadians can afford to buy a home?
Gregor Robertson LiberalMinister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada
Mr. Speaker, it is puzzling to hear the Conservatives saying anything about affordable housing when they have never done anything historically to support it. We have a $13-billion Build Canada Homes agency coming through and taking action, delivering with provinces, territories and cities across the country. Last week, we announced 750 homes for Nunavut, which has the biggest housing challenge in the country. We are delivering those affordable homes this year. The Conservatives need to step up to the plate, because we are knocking it out of the park on housing.
Greg Fergus Liberal Hull—Aylmer, QC
Mr. Speaker, my mother-in-law has Alzheimer's. I know how devastating this disease can be.
She is far from alone. Every day, 300 Canadians are diagnosed with dementia. Although there is no cure, we know that community initiatives can make a big difference for people with dementia and their families, friends and caregivers.
Could the Minister of Health tell us what steps the government is taking to ensure that Canadians with dementia have access to the health care they deserve?
Marjorie Michel LiberalMinister of Health
Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank my colleague for his question and take this opportunity to wish him and all our colleagues a happy Black History Month.
Last week, we announced more than $4 million in funding for innovative community initiatives that help us better understand dementia and improve the health and quality of life of those living with dementia and their families. For example, one of these projects, conducted in partnership with the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, will provide increased support to underserved populations.
Rhonda Kirkland Conservative Oshawa, ON
Mr. Speaker, on Friday, 1,200 auto workers in Oshawa worked their last shift. Families are hurting and good Canadian jobs are moving south, all while the Prime Minister stalls on a trade deal with the United States. Remember that when he was asked about those stalled talks, the Prime Minister said, “Who cares?”
Those 1,200 auto workers in Oshawa are watching today. They want to know: Does the Prime Minister care now?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, I have been to Oshawa. I have met with the workers. I know how much they are frustrated and anxious. That is why we are standing side by side with them. That is why, also, I have been in contact with Unifor, their union. I have been in contact with GM itself. That is also why we are getting our money back from GM. That is also why we have restricted GM's access to the Canadian market. We will invest in those who invest in us.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, that is the same drivel the minister was trying to sell to auto workers three months ago. Nothing has actually gotten better. Let us start with how it started. They said they were the ones who could negotiate with Donald Trump. Let us look at how it is going: 700 auto workers have lost their jobs in Ingersoll, 3,000 auto workers have lost their jobs in Brampton and 1,200 have now lost their jobs in Oshawa.
We need to get beyond these talking points. I have a simple question for the minister: When will these auto workers actually get their jobs back, instead of these tired words?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, we have no lesson to take from the Conservatives, who bailed out GM and protected their executives rather than their workers. That is exactly what they did at the time. What we are doing is coming up with a plan. They have no plan whatsoever. We presented it to Premier Ford. What did he say? He said it was a really good plan. We will have good news soon.
Kyle Seeback Conservative Dufferin—Caledon, ON
Mr. Speaker, it is really sad for auto workers to hear this secret plan. This secret plan for auto workers sounds an awful lot like “the cheque is in the mail” or “the dog ate my homework”. Do we know what is not secret? It is the 5,000 auto workers who have lost their jobs and now have to figure out how they are going to put food on their tables and how they are going to pay their mortgages in a cost of living crisis caused by the Liberals.
I ask the minister to please get beyond her talking points and to please stop saying that she is standing up for workers when 5,000 workers have lost their jobs. It is a simple question: When will these workers actually get their jobs back?
Mélanie Joly LiberalMinister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
Mr. Speaker, this government was the first one to create jobs in the auto sector. At this point, there are 3,000 new jobs in St. Thomas because of the Volkswagen battery plant, which they are against. At this point in the last year, 3,000 more jobs were created in Windsor at the Stellantis and NextStar plant because of this government, and they are against it.
Stop being against auto workers. We are an auto nation. We believe in them and will invest in them.