Poverty Reduction Act  moved for leave to introduce Bill C-87, An Act respecting the reduction of poverty. (Motions deemed adopted, bill read the first time and printed)

Housing  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased but sad to address this question. Indeed, we are in a crisis in many parts of Canada. That is because the federal government failed for many years to acknowledge its responsibilities to look after the housing needs of many communities across Canada, failed to address the particular housing needs and conditions in northern Canada, and failed to work appropriately and respectfully with indigenous peoples, including the Inuit.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, I would like to thank the member for Nunavut for his heartfelt question. The national housing strategy understands the unique and important needs of Canadians living in the north. That is why the national housing strategy is investing $240 million in Nunavut alone to provide 3,000 families in Nunavut with a safe and affordable place to call home.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, I want to thank my colleague for giving me a chance to remind all members of the House that employment insurance has an important role to play in helping families, especially those struggling to get by, because it is vital that they receive the high-quality services and benefits they need.

Poverty  Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to answer the question, because it is at the very core of our mandate as a government. Since 2016, we have put into place the most significant social policy innovation in a generation, called the Canada child benefit. That benefit, in itself, is lifting 300,000 children out of poverty, and their 200,000 parents at the same time.

Poverty  Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for giving me the opportunity to speak once again about the Canada child benefit and to invite our colleagues opposite, in particular members of the NDP, to clearly support it. With this policy we are no longer sending cheques to millionaire families that do not want or need the money, so we can send them to middle-class families and those working hard to join the middle class.

Social Development  Madam Speaker, let me begin by commending the hon. member for Hull—Aylmer on the invaluable support he provides to families in his riding. Since July 2016, the Canada child benefit has been putting more tax-free money in the hands of nine out of 10 families. Since July 2016, the Canada child benefit has lifted 300,000 children and their 200,000 parents out of poverty.

Poverty  Madam Speaker, I am so pleased to talk about the importance of reducing poverty in Canada. It has been the objective of our government since 2015. We started by introducing the most innovative social policy in a generation, the Canada child benefit, which is lifting 300,000 children out of poverty every month and 200,000 parents at the same time.

Housing  Madam Speaker, we have been so pleased and so proud to work since 2015 with a number of partners in Canada. I have been waiting for a long time for the first ever national housing strategy of this country to be launched in November 2017. We have been delighted with the level of input and the quality of the advice that they were giving to us.

Multiculturalism  Mr. Speaker, I thank the member for Beaches—East York for his hard work in helping more Canadians live in safety and dignity. That is why we are launching cross-country consultations on a national anti-racism plan. That is why we are also investing in more culturally appropriate support for racialized communities.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, our hearts go out to the family of Tori Stafford for the loss they have endured and lived with for the last nine years. The Corrections and Conditional Release Act makes individual placement decisions on inmates the responsibility of corrections staff, not politicians.

Justice  Mr. Speaker, obviously, our thoughts are with Tori Stafford's family, and we sympathize with the grief and suffering they must have endured over the past nine years. Under the corrections act, decisions on inmate management are the responsibility of professional corrections staff, not politicians.

Housing  Mr. Speaker, I am thankful for the opportunity to speak on World Habitat Day. I thank my colleague from Kitchener Centre for his hard work toward securing a $2 million investment from the rental construction financing initiative, which will give 20 families in Kitchener a safe and affordable place to live.

Employment Insurance  Mr. Speaker, I would first like to thank and congratulate the member for Glengarry—Prescott—Russell on all his hard work on behalf of families. We know that improving gender equality means more prosperity for everyone. That is why we were so proud to introduce this new five-week parental sharing benefit in budget 2018.

Business of Supply  Mr. Speaker, the objective of the national housing strategy is to provide safe, affordable housing for all Canadians. I am pleased that my colleague from Salaberry—Suroît not only embraces this objective, but also wants to work hard in the coming years to implement this strategy.