44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 29, 2023 02:00PM
- Nov/29/23 2:41:45 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we launched our housing accelerator this fall precisely to create more housing in Canada and lower rents for all Canadians. That is part of the actions we have taken since 2017, and even before that, to invest in housing in Canada.
We know how much we have left to do. Our population is growing faster than that of the U.S., but I am sure that the Leader of the Opposition is not speaking out against immigration.
We will continue to be there to build more housing and to grow our economy and our population at the same time.
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- Nov/29/23 2:42:30 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister loves to blame others for the fact that he has doubled housing costs in eight years. He is not worth the price of rent.
Let me quote the organization realtor.com in the United States: “October 2023 marks the sixth month in a row of year-over-year rent decline”. Rentals.ca in Canada says, “For the sixth month in a row, asking rents in Canada hit a new high”.
Why, after eight years of the Prime Minister, is rent going down in the States and up in Canada?
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- Nov/29/23 2:43:10 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, since 2015, we have been investing in housing in this country to make up for the 10 years of lost time when the member, as the minister of housing in a previous government, got out of the business of building and supporting housing across this country.
We have done an awful lot, and we recognize there is more to do, which is why part of our fall economic statement was about investing even more in creating homes and unlocking the potential of this country.
As for the difference between Canada and the United States, one of the differences is that our population is growing much faster than the population in the United States. I am certain the leader of the opposition was not about to suggest he was anti-immigration, because we all know immigration creates jobs and prosperity, and that is what we are all for.
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- Nov/29/23 2:43:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, it is the Prime Minister who brought up immigration. I was about to point out that in Canada, according to his housing agency, home construction is down 32% year over year and in the United States it is up 5%.
It is true that the Prime Minister has much more expensive federal government programs to build more government bureaucracy and fewer homes. Will he adopt our common-sense plan to build homes, not just bureaucracy?
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- Nov/29/23 2:44:34 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we all know the mistrust and distaste the Leader of the Opposition has for expert analysis and expert advice, particularly because the experts have roundly panned his approach on housing, as it is not going to create the housing that Canada needs.
What are we doing? For example, concretely, we talked about 9,000 housing units in Hamilton, 7,000 housing units in London, 44,000 housing units in Vaughan, 9,000 housing units in Halifax and more to be created over the next few years. These are investments we are making that are delivering for Canadians right across the country, while he continues to propose cuts and austerity instead of the investments Canadians need.
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- Nov/29/23 2:45:25 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, every time the Prime Minister gives homebuilding numbers, he is talking about promises that have not been realized. For example, he promised in 2015, eight years ago, that he would sell federal lands to build homes. Now, today, Radio-Canada reports that it takes 23 years for the government to dispose of lands and turn them into new homes. In fact, one project will not be done until 2038.
How many generations of Canadians would have to survive long enough for the Prime Minister to realize any of the promises he makes?
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- Nov/29/23 2:46:09 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that underscores the importance of being able to work constructively with municipalities to build housing. Those numbers from the City of Ottawa are something we are concerned with, and we are going to be working to make sure they accelerate the construction of housing on federal lands.
We are there for investing in more housing. We are there to release federal lands for the construction of housing. However, instead of doing what the Leader of the Opposition says and picking fights with municipalities, we will work with them to ensure they are building faster. That is what our housing accelerator is all about: unlocking hundreds of thousands of new homes over the coming years.
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- Nov/29/23 2:46:53 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, what he has actually done is unlocked hundreds of new photo ops at the expense of Canadian taxpayers. For example, he has now given $15 billion to the renamed and recycled construction loan program. This is a program that has built fewer than half of its targeted promises, and the new money that he says will build homes will arrive in 2025 and the new homes in 2028.
How many times would the Prime Minister have to be re-elected on his promises for housing for a new home to actually get built?
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- Nov/29/23 2:47:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the irony is that the Leader of the Opposition is attacking us for making announcements of thousands upon thousands of new units built across the country when he does not make any announcements at all because he has no plan. He is not sharing a plan to build more homes. He is not sharing a plan to invest in the economy. He is not sharing his approach on how to create more opportunities for Canadians while fighting climate change and while responding to the climate crisis. He just stands there and makes personal attacks, and sneers at everything and says that it is all broken, instead of doing the hard work, rolling up his sleeves and delivering a real plan for the future of Canada.
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- Nov/29/23 2:48:19 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the problem with the Prime Minister is that the future never comes. It is a promise that is always just around the corner. For example, his $4-billion housing accelerator has completed exactly zero homes two years after it was announced, and here is why. The other day he announced a bunch of money in Halifax, and where did the money go according to the city? It went to hire 29 new bureaucrats, the same bureaucrats who are blocking housing construction in the first place.
Why does he not accept my common-sense plan to require cities to boost housing completions by 15% in order to get federal money so that we build homes, not bureaucracy?
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- Nov/29/23 2:49:02 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I hate to break it to the Leader of the Opposition, but a TikTok video is not a plan.
We are going to continue to work, roll up our sleeves and deliver for Canadians every step of the way. While the Conservatives are flip-flopping all over the place, refusing to stand with workers, refusing to stand with Ukraine and watching too much far right American TV, we are going to stay focused on delivering concretely for Canadians, with the lowest deficit in the G7, the best debt-to-GDP ratio in the G7 and the best AAA credit rating of all countries around the world except for the top three, of which we are a part. We are going to continue delivering for Canadians.
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- Nov/29/23 2:49:59 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a few years ago, the cover of Croc magazine stated, “Just because people laugh does not mean it is funny”. According to the Canadian Human Rights Commission, the simple act of celebrating Christmas with a tree, family, music and gifts is systemic racism. I wonder if good old Santa Claus is racist. I wonder if snow has become racist. Does the Prime Minister think that Christmas is racist?
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- Nov/29/23 2:50:34 p.m.
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I have to say that I am not convinced that this has anything to do with government administration, but I see that the right hon. Prime Minister is on his feet.
The hon. leader of the Bloc Québécois.
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- Nov/29/23 2:51:04 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Canadian Human Rights Commission falls under the federal government's jurisdiction. I am therefore asking the Prime Minister of Canada to show some backbone and respond.
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- Nov/29/23 2:51:27 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to rise to try to answer such a ridiculous question. Obviously, Christmas is not racist. Canada is a country of diversity, a country where we celebrate our personal and individual beliefs and where we also share and celebrate our neighbours' milestones and special occasions. That is a strength that enriches our country. Sharing our celebrations makes us a rich and diverse country, and we always will be. The Bloc Québécois is trying to pick a fight and is being ridiculous. It is unbelievable.
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- Nov/29/23 2:52:13 p.m.
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That was not so hard, Mr. Speaker. Perhaps we can almost agree. The creation of a national culture involves bringing people in and being welcoming. It does not involve excluding people or undermining the host society. A few dozen immigrant Quebeckers will be attending a Christmas celebration that I am hosting in my riding in a few days. Do I have to cancel that event because the Canadian Human Rights Commission thinks that celebrating Christmas is racist? That is my question for the Prime Minister.
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- Nov/29/23 2:52:55 p.m.
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No, Mr. Speaker. We should all celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and all of the different festivals, holidays and celebrations that take place in our ridings and across the country. Our diversity is an incredible strength, and we will always celebrate it. I know that there are a lot of problems in the world today, but I think it is a good thing for us to take a moment to celebrate each other in the House.
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- Nov/29/23 2:53:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, allow me to be the first of the season to wish everybody a merry Christmas. What a beautiful celebration. We love our great Canadian traditions, including Christmas.
Unfortunately, after eight years, the Prime Minister promises nothing but a carbon tax lump of coal for Canadians. Will he get off the backs of Canadians so they can enjoy beautiful gifts and maybe even a turkey and warm meal around the Christmas table this season?
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- Nov/29/23 2:54:15 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to point out that we are the government phasing out coal, over the opposition of the Leader of the Opposition.
We are going to continue to build a better and brighter future for all Canadians, and that includes fighting against climate change so we can ensure that we keep a stronger future for Canadian children to go sledding, but also so we can make sure they have better jobs in the future. The climate denialism of the Conservative Party of Canada is putting future white Christmases at risk. That is why, on this side of the House, we stand for Christmas.
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- Nov/29/23 2:55:11 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, that has to be the angriest and most caustic Christmas message I have ever seen.
This is a guy who has not phased out coal, despite his theatrics over there. What he is doing is phasing out food because Canadians cannot afford it now as he raises carbon taxes on the wonderful farmers who bring it to our table. Why will he not axe the tax on farmers so that Canadians can eat, heat and house themselves. Why does he not be a little less like Scrooge and a little more like Santa Claus?
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