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Decentralized Democracy

House Hansard - 230

44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 5, 2023 10:00AM
Context: House Hansard - 230 - Oct/5/23
Ms. Elizabeth May (Saanich—Gulf Islands, GP)
  • Oct/5/23 1:54:44 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-56 
Madam Speaker, I am originally from Nova Scotia, and I look at a history lesson that I think we can all learn from. The private sector does not build housing when we really need it and does not build it in a hurry. The first public housing ever built in Canada was in the wake of the Halifax explosion in 1917, when thousands lost their homes, and governments, including as far away as the U.K., created a fund. The government moved in and built, to this day, some of the nicest and most sought-after housing in Halifax, in the Hydrostone district. It was the first public housing effort ever in Canada. Within months of the Halifax explosion, the governments had created apartments, temporary but serviceable, for 832 people. They had a roof over their heads. It was done quickly and affordably. We are lacking the sense of emergency, particularly for those who are acutely homeless, living rough or living in tents. Does my hon. colleague from Vancouver East think we should adopt a strategically different approach to the emergency for people who are homeless?
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Context: House Hansard - 230 - Oct/5/23
Mr. Denis Trudel (Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, BQ)
  • Oct/5/23 2:47:32 p.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we are not the only ones whining. There are 10,000 homeless people in Quebec who are whining to the federal government right now. The Quebec finance minister met with the Deputy Prime Minister on Monday. Here is what he said this morning: “I reiterated how urgent it is that an agreement be reached...Ottawa is imposing conditions, and that is unacceptable to us”. The announcement that Quebec will match the funding is supposed to be good news. As long as Ottawa continues to quibble, it means that we are no longer talking about $900 million, but $1.8 billion that is just sitting around waiting for Ottawa to get moving. Will the government announce that it is letting the money flow to Quebec so that we can finally get to work?
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Context: House Hansard - 230 - Oct/5/23
Mr. Branden Leslie
  • Oct/5/23 5:29:46 p.m.
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  • Re: Bill C-56 
Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague for the well wishes. The challenge with the question is that it is, of course, best aimed at the government, but the reality is that the government has set up such poor relationships with our provincial leaders across the country that it comes as no surprise that there are ongoing battles over these sorts of challenges. The challenge here is to ask what affordable housing is. I think we need to undertake our very best efforts to make sure we are providing all types of new housing builds to make sure that those who are currently homeless or living in housing poverty are able to upgrade their way of life. The easiest way we could do that is by lowering the cost of living for all them, allowing them to keep more of the money that they earn and take home more powerful paycheques so that they can live the high quality of life that all Canadians deserve.
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