44th Parl. 1st Sess.
March 29, 2023 02:00PM
- Mar/29/23 2:15:16 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, a home is more than just drywall and lumber. It is the opportunity to raise a family and to be part of a community. It is a place to build memories and a place to have a future. However, for far too many Canadians, the dream of owning a home has been replaced by a cold reality. Even if someone works hard and does everything right the best they can hope for is couch surfing, car sleeping, fish huts, trailer parks or living in their parents' basements. Under the Liberal government, a record number of Canadians believe they will never own a home.
With the budget, the Liberals are doubling down on their failed policies. They have done nothing to fix the housing crisis or to take on the government gatekeepers who put up red tape and barriers. There are so many obstacles facing Canadians seeking to buy a home: rising interest rates, eye-watering down payments, soaring house prices and skyrocketing rent. However, the root cause and the biggest obstacle of them all is the Liberal Prime Minister. It is true, though.
185 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 2:33:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, New Democrats are proud that we forced the government for a historic expansion of medicare to include dental care for the first time. That, alongside our push to double the GST rebate, means that families will save up to $1,700 on average per year. We have also forced the government, for the first time ever, to have strings attached to investments to fight the climate crisis, which require guarantees of good wages and good union jobs. If the government is running out of ideas, we have more.
Will the government take the housing crisis seriously and finally build more homes that people can afford faster?
108 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 2:34:06 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I direct the hon. member to look at our national housing strategy, a record number of investments to make sure we build more affordable housing in this country, including the $4-billion recently announced housing accelerator fund to set us as a country to double housing construction and pay particular attention to affordable housing. In addition to that, we are making sure we are protecting renters and helping them, through the Canada housing benefit and the top-up of $500 for almost two million Canadian renters to help them with the high cost of rent.
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 2:52:17 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, the average price for a one-bedroom apartment in Toronto has now hit $2,500. The cost of housing in the country is skyrocketing. We are in a housing crisis that is gripping the entire nation. Every community is feeling the impact.
People cannot find a home that is in their budget. People are struggling with inadequate housing. This government does not understand how serious it is. When will this Prime Minister take the housing crisis seriously and finally build more homes that people can afford faster?
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 2:52:57 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in addition to the $4-billion housing accelerator fund to speed up the construction of new housing for more Canadians, a rent-to-own program, a $500 federal top-up for Canadian renters, a $40,000 tax-free first home savings account and new guidelines for protecting Canadians with mortgages facing exceptional circumstances, budget 2023 doubles housing construction in this decade, directly supports those with the cost of housing, helps Canadians to save for their first home, curbs unfair practices that drive up the price of housing and supports the construction of deeply affordable housing.
97 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 4:06:53 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I present a petition on behalf of residents of my community. It states that whereas every Canadian has a right to a safe and affordable place to call home, whereas the Canadian government legislated the recognition of housing as a human right—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
Mr. Mark Gerretsen: It is the first time I am being heckled during a petition.
Whereas the Canadian government—
Some hon. members: Oh, oh!
75 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 4:07:26 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I recognize this is very complimentary of the government, so I understand why the Conservatives would heckle.
Whereas the Canadian government has launched its first-ever national housing strategy, with more than $72 billion invested, and whereas budget 2022 earmarked a historic $14-billion investment to double the construction of new housing in this decade, the undersigned residents of Kingston and the Islands call upon the Government of Canada to continue investing in affordable housing and improve housing outcomes for all Canadians.
84 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Mar/29/23 4:59:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, to the first question on why I would quote someone I want to fire, I quote members of the Liberal government all the time, and it is my plan to fire them in the next election.
As for the blue seal, we did not promise that in 2006. We did promise to speed up foreign credential recognition, which we actually achieved. However, we need to go further, and in the last eight years, that has only gone backwards. We would bring in a blue seal standard, a merit-based standard, to test people who are professionals so they can qualify just like those who were born in this country.
The member finally said that I simultaneously criticized the government's spending on housing while praising the first nations that removed gatekeepers to get things built. Let us be clear. The first nations in Vancouver did not build housing with money from government. It is private financing that builds the vast majority of housing in this country. We do not have a lack of financial ability to build housing. The Liberals are spending $89 billion on it. The problem is that we ban housing from being built in the first place. If we get the gatekeepers out of the way, we will build more homes and spend less money. It is common sense. Let us bring it home.
229 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
