44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 1, 2021 02:00PM
- Dec/1/21 2:25:26 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as outlined in the Speech from the Throne, housing is a major priority for this government, and we will deliver on it with programs like the housing accelerator fund, which will help municipalities build more and better, faster.
Whether it is building more units per year or increasing affordable housing, we will work with partners to get real results for Canadian families. We will also help families buy their first home sooner with a more flexible first-time home buyer incentive, a new rent-to-own program and by reducing the costs for closing for first-time buyers.
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- Dec/1/21 2:26:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservative Party of Canada when it comes to investing in housing. For 10 years. under Stephen Harper. the Conservatives did nothing on housing, which is why we stepped up in 2017 with a national housing strategy, and are stepping up now with four billion dollars for municipalities to invest and to accelerate the construction of new housing supply, which contrasts with the Conservatives' approach, which was to give massive tax breaks to wealthy landlords to help them sell their buildings. That would not have helped housing costs in Canada.
We are acting and we are delivering.
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- Dec/1/21 2:28:08 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives, we understand that the best way to build a strong economy and a stronger future, including not just good jobs but good careers for Canadians, is to invest in fighting climate change at the same time as we invest in growing the economy.
We have invested to support Alberta workers, we have invested to support getting our oil to new markets. but we have also stepped up in the fight against climate change, because that is what Canadians expect.
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- Dec/1/21 2:29:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, at the beginning of this pandemic, we promised Canadians that we would have their backs, and that is exactly what we have done. Although the Conservatives wanted us to invest less in families, workers, businesses and students, we have been there for them and will continue to be. The best way to create a strong economy for everyone is to end this pandemic, and that means everyone getting vaccinated.
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- Dec/1/21 2:30:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, what we are seeing is that our economy is recovering even more quickly than that of the United States, and more jobs have returned in Canada than in the U.S. and elsewhere.
At the same time, we know that the labour shortage we experienced during the pandemic is ongoing, and that is why we are taking action on immigration, training, investments in families, job creation and investments in small business. We are there to help our economy recover quickly.
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- Dec/1/21 2:31:35 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I agree with my hon. colleague that these reports are quite troubling. Discrimination is unacceptable in any form, and we will not tolerate any systemic discrimination in our programs.
To ensure that our programs and services treat everyone fairly, we are conducting a detailed review of their impacts. We will continue to work closely with the provinces, including Quebec, of course, to ensure that our immigration system is robust and fair to everyone.
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- Dec/1/21 2:32:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Bloc Québécois and some others, we have recognized that systemic racism exists in all of our institutions in this country. Ever since we recognized it, we have been working hard to eliminate it and to transform our immigration system and all of our other systems to ensure they are fair and can recognize their inherent biases. That is the work that we are doing, and we take it very seriously.
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- Dec/1/21 2:33:57 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are working to ensure that countries across the world have access to COVID-19 vaccines through our investments in the COVAX facility. We were one of the early adopters and leaders in investing to make sure that vaccine equity across the world is real. Furthermore, Canada is taking leadership at the World Trade Organization to work with the international community on ensuring that the global trading system contributes to removing barriers to vaccine access. We are advancing progress on these issues, which include IP, yes, but also supply chain, production and export restrictions.
We will be there to help end this pandemic everywhere, because without that, we cannot end it anywhere.
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- Dec/1/21 2:35:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I disagree with the member opposite, and not just because he uses “literally” metaphorically.
Canada is taking leadership at the World Trade Organization, and we are working with the international community to ensure that the trading system contributes to removing barriers to vaccine access.
We are advancing progress on these issues, which include—
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- Dec/1/21 2:35:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are all concerned about the omicron variant. That is why we will continue to be there to help people get vaccinated around the world.
With respect to the World Trade Organization, we are working with the international community to contribute to removing barriers to vaccine access. We are advancing progress on these issues, which include intellectual property, but also the supply chain, production and export restrictions.
We are committed to finding solutions to accelerate the equitable production and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
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- Dec/1/21 2:37:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, from 2015 onwards, we began to invest in housing in this country, which had been underinvested in by the federal government for many years. We came forward with the national housing strategy in 2017 that has led to hundreds of thousands of families getting into new homes. We further built on initiatives like the first-time home buyer incentive and the rapid housing initiative. We have just put forward a $4-billion investment toward municipalities to help build more supply. This contrasts with the Conservative plan to give tax breaks to wealthy landlords.
We are acting to fight this housing crisis.
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- Dec/1/21 2:38:18 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, while the Conservatives play partisan attacks, we focus on Canadians. We are actually moving forward with a $4-billion investment in municipalities to support the rapid advancement of housing and the building of supply. We are even working beyond the rapid housing initiative that we have moved forward. We have signed landmark deals with the provinces across the country on investing in housing. We will continue to be there for first-time homebuyers with a dedicated program and with the ability to reduce costs on closing for ownership.
There are many initiatives we are putting forward because we know there is not one silver bullet to fix this. It is a comprehensive approach, and that is what we are doing.
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- Dec/1/21 2:39:43 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one has to at least recognize that the Conservatives are consistent in their approach and that they want to do less whenever they are confronted with a problem.
Canadians are challenged with a housing crisis right now, and we are moving forward with programs to help first-time homebuyers and to invest money into municipalities so they can cut red tape and build more supply. We will work with the provinces on initiatives that are going to bring forward more housing and tie it into rapid transit. These are initiatives we are putting forward.
The Conservatives answer, “Well, you have to do less.” That is unfortunately the kind of austerity that they continue to push, despite the fact that Canadians need help.
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- Dec/1/21 2:41:09 p.m.
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First of all, Mr. Speaker, I recommend that the member opposite take a careful look at the Bank of Canada's independent mandate around monetary policy, which on this side of the House we respect.
Second, it is interesting that the member opposite brings up wealthy landlords, because the heart of the plan they put forward and he defended in the last election was about giving wealthy landlords a tax break to help them sell their buildings, with nothing for families, nothing for affordable housing. That was the Conservative plan, and again they are complaining that we are doing too much to help families. We will keep doing more.
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- Dec/1/21 2:42:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, although the labour shortage is real, it was there before the pandemic began. That is why we have continued to boost federal immigration levels for the past several years. That is why we are going to keep making greater investments in immigration and job training in order to help young people who have been hit by the pandemic. We will invest in the growth of small businesses so that they can pay better wages.
We will be there to help the economy rebound, and that means addressing the labour shortage.
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- Dec/1/21 2:43:46 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to point out that my hon. colleague should talk to her hon. colleague from Carleton, who complains that we are doing too much. She wants us to do more. That is what we will continue to do. We recognize how important it is to invest even more in immigration and to speed up the arrival of new Canadians. Yes, for a year and a half, the pandemic forced us to close our borders, but we are going to catch up, bring more people into Canada, and create growth for everyone.
We will work with Quebec and the other provinces to address the labour shortage.
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- Dec/1/21 2:45:03 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we continue to work with our American partners on matters pertaining to immigration and asylum seekers. We will be there to continue to manage the situation properly. Our government has maintained close contact with our provincial counterparts to prepare for this recent change at the border. We have procedures in place to ensure that asylum seekers are subject to strict public health measures, including quarantine and testing.
Canada is committed to continuing to work with our counterparts to move forward.
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- Dec/1/21 2:46:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are doing what is necessary to ensure the safety of all Canadians with respect to COVID-19 and to fulfill our international obligations with respect to asylum seekers.
We are ensuring that we have the resources required to properly screen irregular asylum seekers and follow up. We will continue to work with the Government of Quebec and the U.S. government to ensure that the situation remains under control.
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- Dec/1/21 2:47:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, COVID has disrupted supply chains. The recent extreme weather events in B.C. have further disrupted supply chains. It is why we have stepped up, including with an investment of our $4 million directly to the Port of Vancouver to help ease the backlog.
We know there is more work to do in the short term and we are doing it with partners, including the Government of B.C., but there is also work to do in the long term.
I know the members of the Conservative Party of Canada are beginning to understand we need to act with determination and solidity on the fight against climate change. I am glad to see them beginning to recognize that.
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- Dec/1/21 2:48:49 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, islanders are suffering right now and are worried, and the Conservatives are making jokes. This is a very serious situation.
We will continue to step up to defend Prince Edward Islanders and the potatoes they produce. It is why we have taken initiatives with the United States to put a hold on it, so that we remain in control of the situation. We have islanders' backs. We will continue to be there to fight for them, despite all the silly jokes made by the Conservatives.
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