44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 21, 2023 10:00AM
- Sep/21/23 2:13:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Gatineau's chamber of commerce is back it, kicking off its fall activities by celebrating the 30th anniversary of Métanox.ca.
I am very proud that this family business, which is dedicated to manufacturing and machining products, has been so successful. The company relies on a dynamic team that seeks out innovative projects that contribute to Gatineau's economic growth. I would therefore like to congratulate the management, employees and all those who contribute to the company's success. I would also like to thank Gatineau's chamber of commerce for highlighting our entrepreneurs' achievements.
Happy 30th to Métanox.ca.
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- Sep/21/23 2:14:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, today, on the International Day of Peace, New Democrats are taking real action to promote peace and justice. This week I brought forward Motion No. 95, calling on the government to finally commit to nuclear disarmament.
As Ukraine valiantly fights for its freedom and for a more peaceful and just world for all of us, nuclear disarmament is needed more than ever. It is clear that we must do more to make sure that evil men like Vladimir Putin cannot hold the rest of the global community hostage with nuclear threats.
Canada has a history of building peace and supporting disarmament. I think of champions such as Paul Dewar and Douglas Roche, among many others. However, from Canada opposing international justice efforts for Palestinians to its selling arms to the murderous Saudi regime, it is clear we have a lot of work to do.
If Canada truly believes in nuclear disarmament, it must attend the TPNW in New York in November. We must sign the treaty and use our voice within NATO to encourage other countries to do the same. Peace is everyone's responsibility, and Canada must do its part.
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- Sep/21/23 2:15:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to pay tribute to Denis Santerre.
Denis passed away on Friday after a lengthy battle with Parkinson's disease. On behalf of the people of Avignon—La Mitis—Matane—Matapédia, and on behalf of the Bloc Québécois, I offer my deepest condolences to his loved ones and his family.
Denis was reeve of La Matanie from 2017 to 2019 and mayor of the municipality of Baie‑des‑Sables for 12 years. It is in that context that I knew him.
When I was elected, he immediately invited me to meet with him. He picked me up in his car and gave me a tour of the village, sharing its history and all the secrets of the people who live there. We quickly developed a relationship of trust and friendship.
Denis was a good, generous and warm-hearted man, a man who gave his heart and soul to our region, of which he was so proud.
I thank Denis for his contribution to our community. May he rest in peace.
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- Sep/21/23 2:16:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the current Prime Minister, Canada is in housing hell. He is just not worth the cost. While he simply offers apologies and photo ops, by contrast, our Conservative leader is offering solutions, with the building homes not bureaucracy act to fix what the Liberals and NDP broke. As a former mayor, I can say that this is exactly the type of leadership we need in this country right now.
We would reward cities that actually build homes and penalize gatekeepers that block them, remove GST on affordable rentals, sell 15% of surplus federal properties for housing and, finally, force federal executives in housing to meet a 60-day standard by scrapping their bonuses or even their jobs if they do not get it done. It is common sense to give performance bonuses only when someone delivers results.
There used to be a deal in Canada that if someone worked hard, they would get a home. The Liberals and NDP have broken that, and Conservatives will be the ones to fix it for them.
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- Sep/21/23 2:17:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I rise in this House for the first time, I am overcome by a profound sense of gratitude and responsibility. I want to thank the people of Winnipeg South Centre for putting their faith in me to reflect their voices in this chamber and beyond.
Our community is diverse, vibrant and filled with people who aspire to have a better future. Together, we will tackle the challenges that matter most to them. Issues such as reconciliation, mental health access, affordable housing and climate change are at the forefront for people in my riding and demand our attention and resolve.
I come from a region that is defined by its multilingual identity. I am proud to be a product of Canadian bilingualism.
I am also a proud westerner. Like my father before me, I will defend the interests of our region and help create a better life for the future on the prairie. At every opportunity, I will build bridges as we work collectively to improve the lives of the people we represent.
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- Sep/21/23 2:18:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, documents released today show that the Bank of Canada's governing council is worried about creating false expectations regarding interest rates.
The Minister of Finance created those false hopes two months ago when she said that we had won the battle against inflation. Since then, inflation has gone up by 43%. It is higher here than in the United States. This could force another interest rate hike for Canadians, who are the most indebted in the G7.
Will the government eliminate its inflationary deficit at last so we can lower interest rates and save Canadians' homes?
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- Sep/21/23 2:19:29 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we will take no lessons from the Conservatives. Last time the Conservative leader gave advice to Canadians, he advised them to buy crypto. The last piece of advice that Canadians will take is from the leader who talks about interest rates.
Today, we introduced a bill to tackle the cost of living in this country and issues with respect to housing. Canadians know we have their backs. We will fight for them every step of the way.
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- Sep/21/23 2:20:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when the cat is away, the mice will play. How many others are going to be auditioning for the Prime Minister's job out there? It is okay, they will not be there long regardless.
In the meantime, we have a forthcoming crisis the government helped create. Its inflationary deficits mean that the cost of living is rising faster here than it is in the United States. Inflation is up 43% in two months; this after the finance minister said it was gone.
Why will the Liberals not get rid of their inflationary deficits and taxes so Canadians can eat, heat and house themselves?
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- Sep/21/23 2:20:48 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, unlike the Conservatives across the aisle, our government actually has a plan to support Canadians, whether it supports 11 million Canadians with the grocery rebate, 4.2 million Canadians with the workers benefit or six million Canadians by indexing old age security.
Unlike the Conservatives, our government actually has a plan. Every step of the way, we will focus on Canadians and what they need during this economic time.
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- Sep/21/23 2:21:21 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, judging by the applause level, it looks as though the fellow from Shawinigan has a bit of a lead in the leadership race right now.
Unfortunately, Canada has a lead in having higher inflation than the United States of America does. Even the Bank of Canada's governing council expressed concern that it was giving false hope about interest rates. The recent inflation report that came out shows that the bank may have to raise rates again on the Canadian people, who are the most indebted in all of the G7.
Will the government reverse its inflationary deficits before rates rise and bankrupt Canadians?
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- Sep/21/23 2:22:06 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I may give the Leader of the Opposition an A for making jokes, but when it comes to the economy, it is something different. Canadians know that.
What the Conservatives should look at is what we did today. We talked and introduced a bill that would make a difference in the lives of Canadians. That is what Canadians expect, not for us to make fun of each other in this chamber. They expect us to work for Canadians.
Today, we introduced a bill that would make a difference in the lives of Canadians. I enjoin all the members of this House to work with us and make meaningful measures for Canadians, so we can help people in their time of need.
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- Sep/21/23 2:22:44 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do tell the occasional joke, but none of my humour meets with the joke that is the government's economic plan. It is a joke that has given us the worst inflation in 40 years, doubled the national debt, doubled rent, doubled mortgage payments and doubled the needed down payment for Canadians to get into a home. A Torontonian has to save 25 years for a down payment; they used to be able to pay off a mortgage in that time.
Will the Liberals reverse their disastrous inflationary policies so that Canadians can finally eat, heat and house themselves?
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- Sep/21/23 2:23:28 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is fascinating that, after we started talking about housing, the hon. member put forward a plan that tinkers around the edges, which experts have indicated demonstrates a lack of understanding of the urgency and scale of Canada's housing crisis.
For example, we have advanced a measure that would get rid of GST on apartment construction. He has now made a commitment to put it back on for middle-class homes. He has made a commitment to cut the program that is now changing the way that cities build homes in London and Calgary and will impact many cities across the country.
We will advance policies that make a difference, not just hang something in the window and be a pretender as he is.
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- Sep/21/23 2:24:05 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what my plan on GST would do is make sure we do not give tax breaks for $10 million penthouse apartments, as that member is proposing to do.
We want the builders who qualify for it to have affordable apartment rentals so that Canadians could actually live in them. God forbid, the limousine Liberals want all the money to go to the penthouse apartments.
As for the minister's program, $4 billion and a year and a half later, it has not built a single, solitary house, and it has only promised 2,000 homes; he would need 1,500 of those announcements to get to the number we need.
Why will the Liberals not get out of the way so that we can—
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- Sep/21/23 2:24:49 p.m.
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The hon. Minister of Housing.
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- Sep/21/23 2:24:52 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, if the hon. member is concerned about building affordable homes, he should talk to the people who advocate for the building of affordable homes. They are telling us to advance a full GST measure, not a half measure, because that is what is going to get homes built in this country.
The Leader of the Opposition plans to cut the housing accelerator fund, which is changing the way that cities build homes. He would literally cut money that would build homes and is planning to tax the people who build them. If he cannot see that this would not work, he should go back to his image consultant and tell them that he needs to start wearing glasses again.
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
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- Sep/21/23 2:25:31 p.m.
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Order. I want to remind both sides that pushing the envelope is one thing, but going over is another. I am hearing it from both sides. I want everybody to consider that when they are asking or answering the questions.
The hon. member for Beloeil—Chambly.
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- Sep/21/23 2:26:07 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the minister responsible for housing admitted that there are strings attached to the $900 million Quebec is supposed to get to build social housing. The thing is, social housing is not his responsibility.
Is he telling people in distress, who may soon be unable to pay their rent or who are at risk of ending up homeless, that they are being held hostage by the Liberals' desire to centralize?
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- Sep/21/23 2:26:41 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for his question.
Yesterday evening, I had a productive and positive conversation with my Quebec counterpart, Minister Duranceau. We are working in partnership with Quebec to establish programs to support people who need more affordable housing.
We are going to continue to work with provinces and our partners at different levels of government to establish programs that support vulnerable people, including in Quebec.
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- Sep/21/23 2:27:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are wasting time while people are suffering. We know how to solve the problems of poverty, housing and homelessness. We are capable of funding social housing and we are capable of helping seniors who are struggling to make ends meet with the increased cost of living. Oil companies made $200 billion in profit last year, but the government does not have money for social housing or seniors.
Do the Liberals have the same level of compassion as the Conservatives?
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