Committees of the House  Mr. Speaker, I rise on behalf of the Conservative members of the Standing Committee on Human Resources, Skills and Social Development and the Status of Persons with Disabilities to table a dissenting report to the main report of the committee with respect to the national housing

Questions on the Order Paper  With regard to the Housing Accelerator Fund: (a) will having municipal regulations that encourage housing development be a pre-requisite for communities to receive money through the fund, and, if not, why not; (b) will communities who receive funding be required to avoid taking a

Housing  Mr. Speaker, on the same day day we learned that the price of the average home shot up again, the Minister of Housing would not answer simple questions about the housing crisis. We asked why rent had doubled over the last eight years. We asked why home prices have doubled over

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, Covenant House Vancouver constructed a new facility. It cost $50 million. It received $12 million from the CMHC, but it cost $1 million in lobbyists and consultants. Does that sound like a wise housing plan to the minister?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, nine out of 10 young people in this country who do not own a home believe they never will. Does that sound like a successful housing plan to the minister?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, does the minister realize that voting against plans that do not work actually makes a lot more sense than just continuing on with plans that are not working and that are in fact making the situation worse?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, the minister's own officials have predicted a 32% decrease in housing starts this year thanks to outrageous spending and high interest rates. Is that a good housing plan?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, I will be splitting my time with two of my colleagues. My first question for the minister is this: Does he believe that Canada is in fact in a housing crisis?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, I am not sure if the minister understands how this works. I ask the questions. Is Canada facing a housing crisis right now?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, how many rental units do we need in this country to make them more affordable again?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, I am wondering if the minister is aware of the number of rental units we are required to build in this country to make them more affordable again?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that the CMHC just recently raised insurance premiums on multi-unit residential construction? Can he tell us what the percentage increase was?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, does the minister believe that a massive increase in insurance premiums for multi-unit residential rental buildings is going to slow construction of those units?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, is the minister aware that within a one-kilometre radius of all SkyTrain stations in Vancouver, there are about 28,000 properties? Of those properties, does he know how many are actually available for multi-unit residential housing?

Business of Supply  Mr. Chair, of those 28,000 properties, only 20,000 are for single family or duplex units, so it is 71% of those properties within a one-kilometre radius. The federal government has committed $1 billion to this project. I am curious to know if he thinks that is wise considering t