44th Parl. 1st Sess.
December 7, 2022 02:00PM
Mr. Speaker, sadly, there are not enough letters in the alphabet to adequately express what the many individuals who find themselves homeless face. I could cite the many people in Winnipeg North who use bus shelters as a home or just fall asleep in alleys and on streets in our communities. That is unfortunately what is taking place.
To resolve the housing urgency by trying to put the blame on the national government is not appropriate. The national government needs to work with municipalities and provinces to meet the housing needs that are there. In fact, the programs we have provided are encouraging municipalities and other stakeholders to come forward with their ideas.
The federal government has invested more dollars in housing in recent years than any other government in the last 50-plus years. I am wondering if my friend could provide his thoughts on the importance of ensuring municipalities and provinces do likewise, invest like the federal government is investing and support our communities so that we have a better chance at resolving the housing crisis.
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- Dec/7/22 7:04:52 p.m.
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Madam Chair, I am heartened to hear the non-partisan approach of tonight's take-note debate. I want to thank the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre for being a champion and voice for this. I had the privilege of standing alongside her, the families and the many community leaders who came to this place to advocate, including the incredibly inspiring and strong children.
There is a lot of talk about complexity on this issue. We heard in the previous answer that we need to perhaps revisit this. The truth is this is something that has been studied. This is something that has been captured in the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
In fact, families, advocates and indigenous leaders, including Chief Kyra Wilson of the Long Plain First Nation, have highlighted the need for immediate federal funding to build and operate more low-barrier shelters for women fleeing violence. I know the hon. member for Winnipeg Centre championed 24-hour safe spaces in Winnipeg.
Does the member agree we need to expedite federal funding for the building of new safe spaces, including through the government's $724.1-million violence prevention strategy, which today, to our disgrace in this House, sits mostly unspent?
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- Dec/7/22 7:09:06 p.m.
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Madam Chair, first of all, on indigenous housing, I certainly agree that there needs to be solutions led by the indigenous community. We see first-hand in Winnipeg very clearly that every effort made, whether it is by the federal government, which has spent billions of dollars on affordable housing, or otherwise, has failed. It has failed. The problem has only gotten worse.
I drive in downtown Winnipeg every day. I live just outside of Winnipeg. I lived in Winnipeg for almost 10 years. The problem has never been worse. Bus shelters have become de facto residences for people. It is everywhere. There are tent cities. I have never seen it so bad and I have been around the area for 32 years.
I also volunteer at the soup kitchen, so to speak, downtown. There are several of them. A lot of them provide temporary housing. I can see the need first-hand. I think it is important that we all take the time to volunteer at non-profits and charitable organizations that feed and house people, at least temporarily, so that we understand the failures of public policy and the impact they have.
I would agree there needs to be an indigenous-led housing strategy, because the money that has been spent thus far on affordable housing has clearly not met the need. We are seeing the need increase.
Right now in Winnipeg it is almost -30°C, so, clearly, we need to find more solutions for affordable housing for our indigenous community and for all those facing housing vulnerability.
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- Dec/7/22 9:19:50 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, my colleague spoke very powerfully about the need to pursue justice for the families of the women murdered here in Manitoba. One of the clear calls to action is around housing, and particularly the need for access to low-barrier shelters for women fleeing violence. That is something the federal government can act on right now.
Does the member support her government taking action to establish low-barrier shelters for women fleeing violence in cities like Winnipeg and across our country?
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- Dec/7/22 9:20:33 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I know my colleague is a staunch advocate and fights so hard for her community and all communities across the country around housing in particular.
We had a discussion today with our colleagues about how important it is to support not only urban communities, but also rural, remote and northern communities. There have been commitments made by our government. We see initiatives and investments made in housing, and we continue to push for more.
I do not think there is a number that is really going to hit the level of crisis we are seeing, particularly in the north, but I just want to remind my hon. colleague as well that it is even in small towns. We have a member missing in the Fredericton region as well. We certainly know that if there was low-barrier access to shelters, so many more people would be safe and secure, rather than find themselves in very dangerous and precarious positions, and perhaps we could save lives.
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