Mr. Speaker, to the hon. member, and I am a little doubtful about the hon. part-
Lost her last election, in 2006, with 35% of the vote.
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, to the hon. member, and I am a little doubtful about the hon. part-
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, through you to my colleagues in the House, there is an underwriting on federal lands reserved for Indians. In October 1995 for instance, CMHC provided mortgage loan insurance to an operating company of the Yellowknife Dene band so it could access bank financing to build a 10-unit apartment building on federal land reserved for Indians. The apartments will be occupied by low income families and the operating costs of the project will be subsidized by the NWT Housing Corporation. That is a fact.
Many of those communities do not have access to those financial institutions. They are looking at innovative ways of getting housing for those people. There are 34 housing units that are needed in the north.
The south does not have the inclement weather and the harsh climate we have, nor the heating costs we have. Maybe they do in some of the northern parts of the provinces. Really, look at the opportunities these people have carved out for themselves to empower their people, to enable their people to become independent and self-sustaining. One of the first ways they look at is home ownership, by building that infrastructure and making it possible for people to own their own homes.
This year, as of September 30, going back to the community of Brooks, Alberta, 153 households became proud homeowners thanks again to the mortgage insurance funds. Make no mistake, if CMHC were not in the mortgage loan insurance business 290 families in Brooks, Alberta might not have been able to buy their homes. These 290 households represent 83 per cent of the total number of households, 349, that bought homes in Brooks, Alberta during that period.
The government knows how much Canadians value home ownership. Home ownership has always been valued at the community level. The first thing the settlers of this country did was build a home. Many were eventually able to get assistance from the banks and their communities to do joint projects to build homes. That is the way it was done and there was nothing wrong with that. Home ownership is much valued as the Canadian way. It is a source of retirement income for some. It is the one thing they may hang their hat on and feel security from. It is also an important component of quality of life.
We believe every Canadian should have access to home ownership. CMHC's mortgage loan insurance can turn the dream of owning a home into a reality. It is therefore critical that CMHC be able to continue to provide mortgage loan insurance to Canadians now and in the future. That is why I support Bill C-108. I hope my colleagues will see fit to give swift passage to the bill so that CMHC can continue to help Canadians realize their dream of owning a home.
There is an abundance of ideas out there, but many challenges befall Canadians who are isolated or in remote areas or who are not in the high income brackets and who face many fiscal challenges. Those people need help from various levels of government and organizations.
There are so many things that happen but when it comes right down to it we can talk in technical terms and be very abstract. We can talk about the whole fisc and all that but when it boils right down to it we are talking about the quality of life for people. The real meaningful essence of this is that people have access to homes, that they are able to own their own home and build a life for their
children and themselves; real security and in practical terms, stability.
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
In October 1995, CMHC provided mortgage loan insurance-
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
What is really shallow here is the debate coming from the other side.
I want to focus on the issue of CMHC's mortgage loan insurance and its mandate to provide equal access to Canadians throughout the country. It is important to achieve that goal.
As an aside, there is a shortage of housing across the country. Some 11,000 units are needed. In my riding I believe 3,400 units are needed. There is overcrowding, health problems, young people in overcrowded situations where it makes learning and living difficult. The safety and security of the person is at risk here. That escapes the rhetoric coming from the opposite side.
I should also say that there is absolutely nothing wrong with having Canadians gain access to housing. That is a real source of empowerment. It is a way to give integrity to the family, to the individual, and a way for people to build a life in this country, to build security and stability. Homeowners across the country throughout many decades have said that the main source of empowerment is to own a home and build from that home for their children.
The party opposite says it is family oriented. What is more family oriented than owning a home? Reform members talk about the value. They call it a shallow argument that home ownership is related to family values. Let us think on that one. The weasel wording of that one sad opposition member is very shallow and indeed is misdirected. People are very well aware of that.
CMHC has the unique role of ensuring equal access for Canadians throughout the country. It is a major factor that distinguishes CMHC's operation from private mortgage loan insurance operations.
CMHC'S commitment is to provide mortgage loan insurance in the small communities of the country, the places private insurers do not traditionally want to serve, such as my riding. In many parts of my riding, which is very isolated, and in rural parts of the country
we do not have access to the banking system. We are right off the financial institutional grid.
Those people are not eligible to get mortgages. Even if they had a high income, a moderate income, or double income, they are not eligible to get into home ownership in terms of the financial institutions. They are not served in that way. That is a fact. In places private insurers have not traditionally wanted to serve or have not been able to serve, many Canadians might not be able to buy a home.
Let me illustrate how important CMHC mortgage loan insurance is to Canadians in small communities. Take CMHC's loan insurance activity in the municipality of Brooks, Alberta, with a population of 10,000. In 1994, 137 households were able to access home ownership thanks to CMHC's mortgage loan insurance. Take for instance the importance to the Northwest Territories, where I come from, in terms of home ownership. I guess it is very difficult, but looking at the statistics in the Northwest Territories, 660 loans were let out and were insured to $110 million. These are for people who want to own their homes.
Under the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation assistance program, in August 1995 CMHC accepted as equity grants provided under the NWT's down payment assistance program. This helped families who could afford the ongoing operating and maintenance cost of home ownership and purchasing their own homes. Since its introduction, 24 families have purchased their own homes. It is very significant for our population of 72,000 people to have loans that were given to that many people so they would be able to move into their own homes.
In fact there is one other special need you could look at: the underwriting on federal lands reserved for Indians. This is an issue that should really get the opposite members hot under the collar. Anything for Indians would be almost not spoken of or forbidden.
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
I earned it, thank you. I forfeited one pension and I am not ashamed to accept my pension.
National Housing Act November 7th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, it is a pleasure to speak in the House today in support of Bill C-108, an act to amend the National Housing Act.
As my colleagues well know, CMHC has an important role to play in helping Canadians gain access to ownership. While listening to the debate and the questions, I am wondering what is at issue here, whether we are discussing the essence of contingent liability, as opposite members referred to it, or whether it is the issue of whether they agree with giving access to housing to moderate income Canadians. Is that the real issue? Is it the issue of subsidization they are interested in weasel wording about, or is it that they want to carry on with their right wing agenda and do not want to give anything to middle income and poor Canadians? Is that the real debate? That is the question we should ask members.
In terms of subsidies, a clothing subsidy was mentioned. Well, they have a clothing subsidy, a subsidy for the suits for their leader. That is interesting.
Excise Tax Act October 31st, 1995
moved that the bill, as amended, be concurred in.
Small Business Loans Act October 26th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, there is no dispute of the fact that certain operators and owners of businesses, be they big game hunters, lodge owners or whatever have had trouble because the economy has not allowed for people to buy into those opportunities. There has been some difficulty in accessing those resources.
I must reiterate that changing the Small Business Loans Act will make these resources more available. Not only that, some of the Canadian banks are developing partnerships, for instance with aboriginal communities. There is more cash available now since we have settled land claims. Potential partners are speculating and looking at new opportunities. Things are actually getting better, but there are no magic solutions.
We were very lucky. If I might compliment my colleague, my riding was made more beautiful by his presence as a tourist. I welcome more people to the north.
Small Business Loans Act October 26th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the back-handed compliment from the Reform Party. It is unfortunate it could not just be an up front compliment.
I understand what Reformers are saying. In terms of the infrastructure, I must say that all projects the infrastructure money has gone to are priorities set by the people in the north. We gave them the money and they decided what they wanted to do.
If we are going to talk about building a highway, in 1984 it cost $1 million a kilometre. Simply put, Canada does not have that kind of money. There are a lot of kilometres of road to be built and we do not have that kind of cash.
I am happy the Reformers are lobbying for a road in my riding. I would welcome them to transfer their infrastructure money to help us build the MacKenzie Valley highway. That would be great. Let me say that it is a tremendous investment and even though I would like the government to make that commitment, it cannot do so at this time. In light of deficit reduction, we must be realistic in all the priorities we set. It is a long term goal, a dream of mine and a dream of northerners. It is something I appreciate the help of the Reform Party on.
Small Business Loans Act October 26th, 1995
Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased the member for Broadview-Greenwood has brought forward this question. I am very appreciative of his question. If there was ever an industry that would be next to the resource industry in the north, it is the other resource industry, tourism.
We do need the infrastructure. I suppose one of the dreams we have as politicians and one of the things I often refer to as an infrastructure requirement would be the completion of the Mackenzie Valley highway. That would open up a tremendous potential and complete the loop of having to come down to travel the Trans-Canada Highway right into the north, go right up the Mackenzie Valley and travel along 1,800 kilometres of river on a highway. It would allow the resource industry that is there to have access to the Mackenzie Range and the Nahanni National Park. It would open up a tremendous amount for Canada to see. That is what makes this country so wonderful. That is what makes this country so beautiful. It makes us appreciate all parts of this country.
The Reform Party laughs. When we talk about our individual areas we tend to appreciate and respect each other, not laugh at each other. The hon. member has been to my riding. It is really important for members to see that beauty, to see that vast expanse which says this is part of Canada. This is what we are debating today. We cannot describe how wonderful and beautiful our country is. As Canadians we have the opportunity to build on it, to continue to expand and make it even better than it is by building that infrastructure.
The financial institutions my colleague referred to have provided this opportunity with the revamping of the Business Development Bank of Canada. It is going to open the doors of opportunity to those small businesses and tourism operators to do what was suggested and make it accessible.
There is an influx of European tourists from Germany, Austria and Japan. They are going to see the pristine north, to see the flora and fauna species which are not available in their own countries. That resource is worth sharing with Canada and the world. The way to do that is by making these institutions and resources more accessible by changing the Small Business Loans Act.