Matthew Green

[Privilege, November 25th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have had the opportunity to work alongside the hon. member at the ethics committee. In fact the issue came to the ethics committee, where there were some pretty significant revelations about the nature of the gaps in governance for SDTC, about the inside dealings and about the corruption of board members receiving government money while voting in on their own self-interest.

I know that the hon. member spent some time on city council, as did I, and would have likely some experience with procurement. New Democrats see these things happen. We have certainly dealt with enough scandals at committee. What would the member do to help close the loopholes on governance and procurement to ensure that this type of insider dealing cannot continue to happen?

[Committees of the House, November 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, on a point of order, I said Winnipeg Centre when clearly I meant Winnipeg North, and I would not want that to reflect poorly on the Hansard. I withdraw “Winnipeg Centre” and I replace it with “Winnipeg North”.

[Committees of the House, November 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, it is an interesting point the member raises, and I think it is a valid one, about the shenanigans that happen from time to time at committee by the Conservatives using this place to try to direct our committees on these endless witch hunts. However, I am curious, because we did rise for a unanimous consent motion to have a special committee on India, and it was the member for Winnipeg Centre who opposed when we thought we had unanimous consent of the House.

Why did they do that when we could have been in a special committee dealing with this, given the seriousness of the allegations that came out from the RCMP on October 21?

[Committees of the House, November 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, I have worked closely with the hon. member at committee studying the impacts of social disorder and disruption. I want to offer the member the opportunity to reflect on how the social determinants of health are required to help reduce criminality, reduce violence in our communities and help offset the impacts of the mental health crisis or drug use that, ultimately, fuel gun violence.

[Committees of the House, November 21st, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, time and again, the hon. member rises to pay tribute to the constituents of Timmins—James Bay. He did that in his opening remarks, reflecting on the senseless gun violence in his community.

I will do the same today. On January 1, 2014, 10 years ago, Marley Rowe was murdered in a senseless act of violence. His mother, Sherri, his children, his brother, his family and extended community continue to grieve him.

However, in this discussion, the hon. member provided, for the first time, a compelling reason as to why we are dealing with the senseless rise in gun violence. The member talked about the social determinants of health. I referenced the work of Professor Dennis Raphael, who talked about housing, including health and mental health, income, education, employment and food security.

Could the hon. member talk about the continuum of the social determinants of health, which actively need to be addressed prior to any type of tough-on crime policy? We have seen that failed policy in the United States. Could he talk about the social determinants of health and how they impact violence in our communities?

[Committees of the House, November 20th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, to follow up on my previous question, I think the hon. member was confused. What I said was that 250 houses were built in Kingston, because the wartime project was about prefabricated family units.

I was a city councillor, and I know what happened during the 30 years of deferred federal investments in social housing, which is very different from what Liberals like to call affordable housing. The member suggested that social housing, non-market housing, had a stigma. I would put back to him that the people seeking refuge in tents right now, who will be facing the winter months coming up as snow begins to fall, would absolutely love to be in social housing.

Social housing does not have to be built in the ghettoized style of the 1960s and 1970s. Lots of models all across Scandinavia and Europe show that medium density, appropriate density, in urban settings could be applied with a social context. That gets back to the heart of this debate, which is about definancializing housing.

How does the hon. member intend to take the power, the corporate capture, of the real estate market away so we can go back to providing not just affordable homes but social homes to those who do not have the income to match the astronomic rise in the cost of living?

[Committees of the House, November 20th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to rise and speak on a very important issue for the residents of Hamilton Centre: the financialization of housing. I want to give the hon. member the opportunity to respond because he suggested that, in this current context, it is not the government's role to build housing. If he knows the Kingston workers' history project in his own riding, he would be able to visit the site and see what the history of the CMHC was.

It was not always the case that the CMHC was simply an insurance company for big developers. In fact, it started out of the wartime homes project, which, in Kingston, built 250 homes in his community after World War II.

I invite the hon. member to rise. He does not have to cite his party's policy, but perhaps he could envision a bigger, bolder role for the definancialization of housing. In this, the federal government could meet the scale and scope of the crisis, actually go back to its roots and build affordable homes, as they did with the little strawberry box housing they have in both Kingston and Hamilton Centre. I am going to ask him to stand up and just dream a little bit bigger today.

[Committees of the House, November 20th, 2024]

Madam Speaker, I think that the hon. member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert was on to something when talking about the Conservative tactics.

I would put to this chamber that the previous speaker before him, the member for Saskatoon West, has never been accused of being a riveting speaker. In fact, that was evidenced by the energy here in the House. It is refreshing for me, as a New Democrat trying to learn French in the House. I have to give, first, some comments about the incredible work of our translators, who not only do the translation but also translate the passion that the hon. member has.

As for this hon. member from the Bloc, the hon. member for Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, I know him to be a theatre person, someone from the national theatre of Canada, in fact. I just have one question for him, and it might be the question of the night.

Which Shakespearean character does he channel when he rises in the House to deliver his monologues or, sometimes, soliloquies?

[The Economy, November 19th, 2024]

Mr. Speaker, nobody believes the fauxgressive Liberal government, because they bought a pipeline. However, back to the question at hand. Just 10 kilometres from this place, the Ottawa Food Bank is overwhelmed. Last month, like food banks across the country, it saw a higher number of visits than ever before. The cost of living is up, and more and more people who never thought they would need a food bank need one now. The Liberals have let people down, and the Conservative cuts are only going to make things worse. It is our NDP plan to remove the tax on grocery items, diapers and kids' clothing, which will finally bring some relief.

Will the Liberals finally act for Canadians?

[Questions Passed as Orders for Returns, November 19th, 2024]

With regard to the Canadian Dental Care Plan, broken down by federal electoral district since the program’s inception: (a) what is the total number of applications (i) received, (ii) approved; and (b) how many people have been enrolled in the Canadian Dental Care Plan, broken down by age group and by Disability tax credit certificate status?