44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 16, 2023 11:00AM
- Oct/16/23 2:46:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we want to reiterate that the Bloc Québécois strongly and unequivocally condemns the Hamas terrorist attacks. We reiterate that Israel has a right to defend itself against Hamas.
However, we need to distinguish between Hamas and the people of Gaza and Palestine. As early as last Tuesday, the UN was calling for a humanitarian corridor into Gaza for medical reasons. That is the very basis of the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons, which states in article 3, and I quote, “The wounded and sick shall be collected and cared for.”
What concrete efforts is Canada making to obtain such assurances from Israel?
115 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:46:42 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are continuing with our long-standing position that in conflict areas humanitarian access must provided to civilians to ensure there is access to life-saving food, medicine and water. I spoke yesterday with our trusted international partners as well as organizations on the ground, both international and Canadian. They have pre-positioned supplies.
We are the first country that has moved forward to provide much-needed humanitarian assistance, and we are insisting on that access so we can deliver medical supplies to civilians who need them.
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:47:22 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, in order to send aid, there first needs to be a humanitarian corridor.
We are pushing hard, because lately Canada has been losing ground on the international scene. Once again, Canada is on the sidelines while the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy work together. That is unacceptable.
When it comes to human rights, Canada has a contribution to make and it must insist on making it.
Has the Prime Minister spoken directly with Israel about setting up a humanitarian corridor in Gaza?
89 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:48:05 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we are deeply concerned about the humanitarian situation in Gaza. A civilian is a civilian, and any loss of civilian life is deeply troubling.
We continue to call for international law to be respected. The minister has been engaging directly with her counterparts in the region about the need for a humanitarian corridor to provide rapid and unimpeded access for relief, and she will continue to do so.
70 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:48:31 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years, the NDP-Liberal government's wasteful inflationary spending is keeping inflation high and causing interest rates to be the highest in a generation.
Canadians are facing tough choices, including whether they have no option other than to sell the family home. A Credit Canada representative told Bloomberg, “selling the house might end up being the only option for some homeowners.” Last week, I heard of a nurse living in her car in the Okanagan.
The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost. When will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?
109 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:49:12 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, it is fair to ask a question of the Conservatives. When they talk about inflationary spending, are they talking about the programs they are actually going to cut, which are supporting people right now?
Let us look at the measures that they are going to cut, that they have already voted against. The question was about homelessness. When we put $1.3 billion on the table, the Conservatives voted against it. Are they are going to cut supports for the homeless? When we are talking about removing the GST so we can build more homes for middle-class families in our country, they intend to vote against it. Are they going to cut that too? When we put money on the table for affordable housing, time and time they vote against it. Are they going to cut that too?
The Conservatives are reckless. They are not worth the risk. We are here to support the middle class.
159 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:49:57 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, this is from the same government that declared victory on inflation only to see it skyrocket.
James from Langley, B.C. told Global News that he and his husband were selling his home as a result of their mortgage payments and were returning to the rental market.
Mortgage defaults are climbing, with forced sales events up 10%, as just reported by the Toronto real estate board.
After eight years with this NDP-Liberal government, people are being forced to sell their homes. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.
Will the Prime Minister finally stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can keep a roof over their head?
111 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:50:36 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to share with my hon. colleague that I recently had a chance to sit down with the mayor of the township of Langley to discuss their application to the housing accelerator fund, which that member and her party are promising to get rid of.
We want to be there for the cities to help the very kind of people she is asking about in her question, who she promises to cut the support out from under should the Conservatives form government.
If the hon. member is serious about building houses, I would invite her to support Bill C-56, which would remove the tax on the construction of new homes. I cannot understand why those members oppose it.
123 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:51:13 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of this Liberal government, what has Canada witnessed? Chronic deficits and out-of-control inflationary spending. The result is a direct impact on inflation and interest rates, which are currently climbing.
According to the Institut national de la recherche scientifique, one in five Quebeckers are having a hard time repaying their debt and are at risk of losing their home.
After eight years of this Liberal government, will the government finally understand that reckless management is costly for all Quebeckers and Canadians?
87 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:51:56 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, all we are doing is increasing partisan bickering. Now I will give the facts.
The facts are that Canada is fiscally responsible. Our AAA credit rating has been reconfirmed by the agencies, and we have the lowest debt and deficit in the G7.
If the Conservatives want to help us with the housing crisis, they need to support our Bill C‑56. That is the reality.
70 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:52:41 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, millions of Canadians are going without their prescription medications because they cannot afford them. Thousands die as a result. Universal public pharmacare will cover everyone and save us billions of dollars. This weekend, NDP members sent a clear message to deliver it.
The Liberals themselves promised public pharmacare 26 years ago, and their own convention delegates voted for it in 2016, 2018 and 2021.
Will the Liberals keep their word and finally deliver the public pharmacare that Canadians need and want?
83 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:53:20 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I have enormous regard for my colleague. I know his commitment and passion to help reduce costs for Canadians is there.
He would know, therefore, that the work we have taken jointly with provinces and territories on bulk purchasing, to see $3.5 billion in savings by working together to reduce costs for Canadians, has happened. He knows that we have taken critical action on rare diseases and drugs for rare diseases. He knows we have taken critical action on patented drugs.
Yes, we are having a discussion on pharmacare legislation. I look forward to a continued productive conversation as we look at all the health care priorities in keeping Canadians safe and healthy.
116 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:54:07 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, not only will it save lives, but a universal public pharmacare program would save the sick, workers, hospitals and employers billions of dollars.
The Liberals need to make that happen. It is not just NDP supporters who are saying this. All the studies and reports show that. Even the Liberal Party delegates voted for universal pharmacare at three straight conventions.
When will this government stop dragging its feet and offer a real universal pharmacare program for people?
80 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:54:43 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, we definitely need to reduce the cost of prescription drugs across the country. Thanks to our government's efforts, we have been able to reduce the cost of prescription drugs by nearly $3.5 billion by buying prescription drugs with the provinces and territories. We also worked with all our partners to find a way forward for the future. We certainly worked with all members here in the House to reduce the cost of prescription drugs.
79 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:55:30 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, while the Leader of the Opposition continues to blame municipal mayors and councillors for our housing challenges, we have decided to work in collaboration with other levels of government, including our municipal partners. Our housing programs, including the housing accelerator fund, incentivize municipalities, non-profits and the private sector to build more affordable homes, including purpose-built rentals.
Can the Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities please share with the House the importance of working in partnership with other levels of government and other housing stakeholders?
88 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:56:10 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, let me take this opportunity to thank my hon. colleague for his advocacy as the chair of our housing caucus for policies that will help change the way cities in this country build homes.
What is more, my hon. colleague made an announcement last week on behalf of the federal government that we will be announcing more than $93 million in his city. That is going to lead, over the next three years, to the construction of more than 2,600 homes, and nearly 9,000 over the next decade. We are going to require that cities build homes closer to transit and closer to post-secondary institutions, and I look forward to continuing my co-operation with the member so we see more homes built in the city of Hamilton.
133 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:56:53 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, Canadians and Conservatives all know that after eight years of the Prime Minister, he is just not worth the cost, but the Liberals and the NDP are still not receiving this message. For those who do not believe me, take a look at the headlines: “Average rent went up another 11% in past year—and even getting a roommate doesn't help much”.
“Canada's rental crisis is getting worse, according to a new report that found the average asking price for rent in September was $2,149—up by more than 11 per cent compared with a year ago.”
It is enough. When will the Prime Minister stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can actually afford housing?
126 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:57:37 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I would point out that over the course of the past week, the member attended the opening of a new affordable housing project that we funded in her own community, taking credit for a program that she in fact voted against.
The reality is that when it comes to housing, we have a plan to change the math so that it works for builders. We have a plan to change the way cities build homes. We have a plan to continue to invest in affordable housing and grow the productive capacity of the workforce. The opposition's plan is to raise taxes on homebuilding and to cut funding that is going to build those homes.
We are going to continue to build more houses to make sure that everyone in this country can afford a roof over their head.
141 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:58:29 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the Prime Minister, Canadians cannot afford a house. That is the reality, and we will continue to vote against inflationary spending that is driving up household debt.
Canadians are paying more on the interest on their debt. They cannot afford a home. This is from Vicky: “My single 30-plus daughter and two grandkids just moved in because she could no longer afford her $2,500-plus rent. She had to give up her job to move back into town with me, so I'm basically supporting all three.”
When will the Liberals learn how to manage money, decide about monetary policy and actually build homes, not bureaucracy?
116 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- Oct/16/23 2:59:11 p.m.
- Watch
Mr. Speaker, I assure members that I am not making this up. The member is talking about a lack of affordable housing in her community. We are literally discussing an affordable housing project funded by our government in Peterborough, and she voted against that particular policy.
She says she is going to continue to vote against these kinds of policies, which are literally putting a roof over the heads of some of the most vulnerable constituents in her community. The hon. member has an opportunity to get more homes built in her community. She can support Bill C-56, remove the tax on new-home construction and invite some of her colleagues to do it with her.
117 words
- Hear!
- Rabble!
- add
- star_border
- share
- menumenu
- notificationsnotifications
- home
- mailmail
- searchsearch
