Human Resources committee  I appreciate the genuine sense of collaboration that you're bringing to this role. I think it's really important that, if we're going to share in the fact that we're in a housing crisis, we have someone in your position open to working together to try to solve it. I also think it's important to make clear that, as you've said, this is a crisis that's been decades in the making.

Petitions  Madam Speaker, it is an honour to rise this afternoon to present a petition on behalf of folks who have a set of items they are calling on the government to address for the housing crisis we are in. Among the eight items, they are calling for redefining “affordable housing” to ensure that it better reflects the economic reality being faced by millions of Canadians; better regulations to control excess profiteering by corporate investors and real estate investment trusts; closing tax evasion and money-laundering loopholes; increasing regulations on foreign investment in residential real estate; and prioritizing funding for non-profit and co-operative housing.

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  Madam Speaker, one of the elements of the member for Elmwood—Transcona 's speech that I really appreciated was his honesty about the decades of underinvestment in social housing that have contributed to the crisis we are seeing now across the country. Could the member speak to how important this is? If we were even to double our social housing stock, we would still be just in the middle of the pack of the G7.

Petitions  Speaker, it is an honour to rise to present a petition on behalf of petitioners who, first of all, recognize that the overdose crisis is one that is a public health emergency. The petitioners note that more than 26,690 people have died of opioid-related causes since 2016. They also note that organizations including the Canadian Public Health Association, the Global Commission on Drug Policy, the World Health Organization and the United Nations have all recommended drug decriminalization.

Finance committee  My question is this: What can be done at the CMHC to better make sense of the program offerings so that communities like mine across the country get to report back to say that more is being done to address the affordability crisis?

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  However, we also need to be honest. With respect to the investment the member mentioned for co-op housing, which is one that I mentioned in my speech, I am really glad. The fact is that there were zero dollars for co-op housing in budget 2023. In fact, it was not just co-op housing; there were zero new dollars for housing at all in budget 2023 if not for one line item on indigenous housing that is not going to be starting for a few years still.

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague from Joliette for his question, which is so important. The definition of affordable housing differs from one government program to the next. If one definition of affordable housing applies to just 80% of the market, we are not really talking about affordable housing. We therefore need to push the government to establish a definition of affordable housing that is truly affordable.

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  Mr. Speaker, I would say that housing is a human right and it deserves to be more than a preamble in a bill. It needs to be enshrined in legislation.

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  Madam Speaker, following up on that point, as the member for London—Fanshawe likely knows, the carbon tax, in the last year, added two cents a litre to the cost of gas. Excess profits of the oil and gas industry added 18¢. That is why I put forward a motion that calls for a windfall profit tax on oil and gas companies, specifically looking to work with members of all parties to do something extremely reasonable and responsible to get at the corporate greed that she is speaking about.

Electoral Reform  In fact, the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands, when she spoke on this same topic last night and joined in this advocacy as she has for so many years calling for electoral reform, pointed out that eight times, since 1921, this House or various law commissions have studied the issue, found that first-past-the-post does not fit well for us and recommended we do something differently. We are going to continue this advocacy.

Climate Change  Will the minister commit to this responsible, reasonable measure and tax those most responsible for the crisis?

Climate Change  Madam Speaker, as members know, the climate crisis is on our doorstep. This year, our country has been burning from unprecedented, climate-fuelled wildfires, with 131,000 square kilometres of land burned this summer alone, which is more than double the next-worst wildfire year on record.

Carbon Pricing  The motion that the House do now adjourn is deemed to have been adopted. Accordingly, the House stands adjourned until tomorrow at 10 a.m. pursuant to Standing Order 24(1). (The House adjourned at 7:39 p.m.)

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  Back in the 1980s, it used to be that co-op housing received investments every single year to build the affordable dignified housing we need. Will the member champion continued funding for co-op housing every year?

Affordable Housing and Groceries Act  That is obviously not a point of order. The hon. deputy House leader.