44th Parl. 1st Sess.
November 30, 2021 10:00AM
- Nov/30/21 2:25:47 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, at the meeting with the U.S., we talked about a lot of issues that are important to Canadians, including COVID-19, cars, softwood lumber, and potatoes. We talked about all kinds of mutual interests that we are going to be able to work on together and settle our disputes.
We once again pointed out that the unfair duties on softwood lumber are not working for Canadians or for American consumers. We will continue to be there and fight for our forestry industry.
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:26:27 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, obviously, the Prime Minister is not as good with softwood lumber as he is with potatoes. I realize that it is tough to trade with a giant, but the giant still wants our lumber, our electricity, and our lithium.
Canada's international weakness at the moment is utterly deplorable. It would obviously be better for Quebec to speak for itself with its own voice internationally, but in the meantime, will the Prime Minister demand that the U.S. President withdraw these punitive duties?
85 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:27:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the softwood lumber duties are unjustified and are hurting workers and businesses on both sides of the border. The Minister for International Trade has raised this issue with the U.S.
We will always vigorously defend our softwood lumber industry and its workers, just as we were able to defend our steel industry and our aluminum workers when the U.S. was going to slap punitive tariffs on that sector. We will always be there to defend the interests of Canadians and to advance our economic interests.
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:27:43 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians are facing a housing crisis that is striking hard at all Canadians across the country. It is so difficult for anyone to find a home within their budget. The former governor of the Bank of Canada has stated really clearly that the federal government has a role in tackling this housing crisis. We agree. The federal government needs to tackle the pressures driving up the cost of housing, the speculation, and address the supply side of the issue by building more homes that people can actually afford.
People are desperately in need of help. Why is the Prime Minister not responding to this crisis with the urgency necessary?
111 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:28:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, as outlined in the Speech from the Throne, housing is a major priority for this government. We will deliver with programs such as 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 a reduction in the closing costs for first-time buyers. We will respond to this housing crisis in ways that support Canadians.
113 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:29:08 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the housing crisis is hitting us hard. People cannot find affordable housing.
The former governor of the Bank of Canada clearly stated that the federal government has a role to play in tackling this problem, and we agree. The federal government needs to tackle the pressures driving up the cost of housing and build more affordable housing and social housing.
People are desperate. Why is the Prime Minister not taking the urgent action needed to solve this problem?
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:29:48 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, on the contrary, as outlined in the Speech from the Throne, housing is a major priority for our government.
We will deliver with programs like the housing accelerator fund, which will help municipalities build more, better and faster. Whether it is building more units per year or increasing affordable housing, we will work with our partners to get real results for Canadian families.
I encourage all members of the House to work with us to address the housing crisis with targeted investments for Canadians.
86 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:30:32 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, housing prices have increased by 22% in Canada since this minister was appointed to the finance portfolio. This is not due solely to the pandemic or supply chain issues, because land prices continue to rise.
Why will this government not recognize that it is just inflation?
48 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:31:03 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in the election campaign, the Conservatives put forward a housing plan that would have made homes more expensive for Canadians.
Let us review their proposal. They proposed a tax cut for selling rental properties that would have encouraged speculation and created a financial incentive for wealthy Canadians to turn houses into investment vehicles rather than places to live.
We on this side of the House have a clear plan.
71 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:31:44 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, here is the problem: Land does not have supply chains. It is already underneath our feet, yet land prices have inflated 20% during a year, driving housing inflation.
Other countries had COVID disruptions, yet according to Bloomberg, Canada has the second-worst housing bubble. Toronto and Vancouver are more unaffordable than almost every city on earth. Why does Canada have the second-worst housing bubble in the world? Is it just inflation?
74 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:32:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in the election campaign, the Conservatives put forward a housing plan that would have made homes more expensive for Canadians. They proposed a tax giveaway for selling rental properties, which would have encouraged speculation and created a financial incentive for wealthy Canadians to turn houses into investment vehicles rather than places to live.
Politicians in glass houses should not throw stones.
63 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:32:59 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, here is the challenge, if the only answer is government subsidies and assistance, then the government is further distorting the market, which means for every family it helps, it is pushing house prices out of reach for another family. The Liberals are spending all kinds of money to make housing more expensive for taxpayers and home buyers.
Why does Canada, with among the most abundant supply of land in the entire world, have the second-worst housing bubble in the world? Is it just inflation?
87 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:33:39 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, here are the facts: In our six years of being in government, we have spent $4.5 billion a year to build more housing in this country for Canadians. The Conservative record is $250 million a year. Those are the facts—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
49 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:34:00 p.m.
- Watch
I want to hear the answer because it was a good question. Maybe the minister could start over, right from the beginning. This way we will be able to hear it.
31 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:34:11 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in our six years in office, for every year that we have been in power, we have spent $4.5 billion investing and providing more housing for Canadians. What is the Conservative record? It is $250 million a year.
Second, when we brought in the Canada housing benefit to put money directly into the pockets of Canadians so they could pay their rent, Conservatives voted against it. When we brought in help for co-ops, the best form of housing for middle-class Canadians, they voted against it. When we put forward rapid housing initiatives for cities to build permanent housing solutions for the most vulnerable, they voted against it.
112 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:35:00 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let us get this straight. When Conservatives were in power, according to him, we spent $250 million on housing, and the average house cost Canadians $450,000. With Liberals now in power, they are spending 27 billion tax dollars, and the average house costs $720,000. Housing is now not just more expensive for taxpayers, it is more expensive for home buyers. Failing is bad. Failing expensively is even worse.
Why do we have the second biggest housing bubble in the world?
84 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:35:45 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians can see through that partisan rhetoric. The fact is that Conservatives invested zero dollars in co-ops, and they unloaded housing costs to municipalities and provinces. The reason we have a housing crisis is because they had no leadership in housing for their time in office.
Here are some more facts: We brought in federal leadership in housing. We introduced the national housing strategy. We are working more than ever before with municipalities, and we are bringing in a first-time home buyer incentive to make sure we are turning Canadians into home buyers.
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:36:21 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, he seems to be bragging that he is the most expensive housing minister in Canadian history. Not only are Canadians spending more when they buy a house, now they have to pay more on their taxes for the failed programs that this minister and the government put in place to inflate the housing bubble to begin with. Canada has the second biggest housing bubble in the world, behind a tiny island in the South Pacific called New Zealand. Every other country has less housing inflation.
What is causing this massive bubble? Is it just inflation?
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:37:01 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, since the member for Carleton has referred to inflation, let us do a little fact checking of what we heard in the House earlier today. The member for Louis-Saint-Laurent referred to Germany having higher inflation than Canada. I would urge the hon. members to check their facts before they come into this House because this morning Germany reported 6% inflation. The eurozone this morning reported 4.9% inflation.
Even the Leader of the Opposition has admitted he understands that inflation is a global phenomenon. I wish other members of his party would listen to him sometimes.
100 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Nov/30/21 2:37:46 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, maybe the Prime Minister will listen to the Deputy Prime Minister's book, and in that book she could explain how she has managed to create the second biggest housing bubble in the world. In fact, Vancouver has the second highest home prices on earth. Toronto is number five. They are more expensive than Manhattan; San Francisco; London, England; and other places with far less land, far more people and far more money. This is housing inflation that has resulted since the government unleashed a torrent of money printing.
Will the finance minister finally tell us what is causing this housing bubble? Is it just inflation?
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
