44th Parl. 1st Sess.
October 20, 2023 10:00AM
- Oct/20/23 11:27:20 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, there is every indication that humanitarian aid could finally reach Gaza today, but let us not kid ourselves. We already know that that aid will be insufficient. We already know that only 20 trucks will be allowed to pass when the UN is saying that a minimum of 100 trucks is required every day.
As we speak, tons of humanitarian aid is sitting on the tarmac of an Egyptian airport because we are unable to send it where it needs to go. Without diplomatic pressure, that aid will still be sitting there tomorrow.
Has the Prime Minister exerted any pressure in the past 24 hours to help get this aid where it needs to go?
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- Oct/20/23 11:28:02 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we commend the decision made by Israel and Egypt to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza through the Rafah crossing. This is an important step in making sure that Palestinian civilians in Gaza get humanitarian aid, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Rapid and unimpeded access to aid is essential to meet the urgent needs of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. International law must always be followed.
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- Oct/20/23 11:28:33 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, we all hope that there is a light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to this terrible war, but we can see that dark times lie ahead.
Many countries, including Canada, are calling on their citizens to flee Lebanon, and that speaks volumes. Everyone expects the conflict in Gaza to grow. By all indications, the humanitarian crisis will get worse while the humanitarian aid is already insufficient. Canada cannot accept the status quo. It must use all of its political weight.
What will the government do in the immediate term to ensure that the humanitarian aid is released?
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- Oct/20/23 11:29:10 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, alleviating human suffering is our top priority. We were the first western country to provide $10 million in humanitarian aid. We are actively using every diplomatic avenue. There is now constant communication with partners and organizations in the region.
Our immediate objective is to open humanitarian corridors to provide safety and refuge to those fleeing the war and to allow aid to enter.
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- Oct/20/23 11:29:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the auditor issued a damning report about processing delays in immigration. The most vulnerable are made to wait the longest due to Liberal mismanagement. Offices in sub-Saharan Africa are chronically underfunded, and they have the highest volume. Applications are untouched for up to 20 months. The average wait time for refugees is now three years. People who are being persecuted do not have three years to wait.
Will the minister take immediate action to process the unacceptable backlogs for refugees?
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- Oct/20/23 11:30:27 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, this is of great concern. We all want to see immigration processes speed up. Over the last number of years, we have seen processing times improve in many different areas. Whether it is dealing with the sponsoring of parents, for example, or the sponsoring of spouses, we have seen dramatic increases.
There are areas that we do need to improve upon, and I can assure the member that we are, in fact, making progress in all different areas as much as possible
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- Oct/20/23 11:31:09 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, one in four Nanaimo renters is in core housing need, meaning that where they live is unaffordable, unsuitable or inadequate, and these are people who have housing. Too many do not. Nanaimo has a housing problem larger than its size, and we are seeing the symptoms of this all around us. People deserve better than years of Liberal and Conservative half measures. People deserve a place to call home.
Why is it that the government is doubling down on its failed housing plan?
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- Oct/20/23 11:31:46 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the member and the NDP caucus for supporting this government to double funding in response to homelessness.
We continue to work with municipalities across the country. We continue to work with not-for-profit organizations. It was this government that recognized, of course, that there is a human right to housing. In that vein, we are seeing results. There is more to do, but 70,000 people who were on the street are no longer on the street, and 122,000 people who were close to homeless are not in that position anymore because of the national housing strategy.
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- Oct/20/23 11:32:23 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, all Canadians now know that the Prime Minister is simply not worth the cost.
In 2021, a couple from Fergus, Ontario, swapped their four-bedroom, 2,400-square-foot home on three-quarters of an acre for a 6,300-square-foot, 16th century French château on 37 acres near the Bordeaux wine region in the south of France. Today, they admit that if they were to sell that mansion in the south of France, they would not have enough money to buy their old home in Fergus.
I am wondering why it is cheaper to buy a mansion in the south of France than a family home in rural Ontario.
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- Oct/20/23 11:33:05 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, our colleague is a former mayor, and he knows, therefore, that the affordability challenge Canadians face, whether it with respect to rent or the challenge of buying a home, is due to a lack of supply. This government recognizes that. That is why we have moved ahead to put incentives on the table for the private sector, for example, for builders, like lifting the GST on the construction of purpose-built rentals, period.
That side wants to maintain the tax for the purposes of building rental homes for the middle class. It is unacceptable. It is a reckless approach.
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- Oct/20/23 11:33:45 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I think the government maybe misses the point.
Canada has 20 times the land and half the people of France and it is still cheaper to buy a house in France. Of course, after eight years of the Prime Minister's inflationary deficits, mortgage costs have doubled. In 2015, the average mortgage payment was $1,400. Today, it is over $3,500, and now half of Canada's housing markets are severely unaffordable.
When will the NDP-Liberal coalition finally end its inflationary deficits so Canadians can afford to keep their homes?
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- Oct/20/23 11:34:22 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, as I have said and emphasized, the challenge of affordability with respect to housing writ large has to do with the lack of supply. When demand is high and supply is limited, we are always going to have an expensive situation. We see that with respect to housing.
What this government is doing is working with municipalities to see more homes built. This morning, as I said, we saw the City of Brampton move ahead, working with this government. In exchange for a $114-million investment, it is going to get more homes built. It is dealing with missing middle housing and exclusionary zoning. I thank the City of Brampton.
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- Oct/20/23 11:35:06 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, a recent survey has found that nearly 70% of millennials and those who are younger have put off the purchase of a home because of rising prices and rising interest rates. After eight years of the NDP-Liberal government, this is its legacy: inflationary deficits that are driving up the cost of living and making housing out of reach for many young people across the country.
It is clear the Prime Minister is not worth the cost, so why does he not finally listen to our common-sense approach to stop his inflationary spending so that Canadians can afford a home again?
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- Oct/20/23 11:35:40 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member talks about young people. I will give him credit: During his time being a member of Parliament, he has put issues on the table with respect to youth.
He can support the government, or at least he should have, with respect to the tax-free savings account the government put in place to help young people save for a down payment. Up to $40,000 can be put into that account, which is, again, tax-free. Add to that, of course, the fact that we continue to build more. We continue to put in place other policies that would see more homes built. We are doing that in partnership with municipalities.
The Conservatives are against all of that. They put half measures on the table and that is not good enough.
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- Oct/20/23 11:36:22 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Canadians do not have the funds to put into a savings account because of the cost of living crisis the government has created.
The member mentions building homes. We do not have enough home building in this country to keep up with demand. After eight years of the government, housing prices have skyrocketed. They have actually doubled. Mortgage rates are up, and young students and young professionals have given up completely on their dream of home ownership.
I ask this again: When will the Liberals finally stop their inflationary spending so that young people can afford a home?
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- Oct/20/23 11:36:59 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, when the Conservatives were in power, they ran seven consecutive deficits. I find it interesting that they claim to be so concerned about the 0.7% deficit we have here in Canada, the lowest of all G7 countries.
We have a serious plan in order to build more homes. We have a serious piece of legislation before this House that the Conservatives are delaying. It would solve the housing crisis, and the Conservatives are delaying that measure.
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- Oct/20/23 11:37:54 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, Bloomberg just reported on a recent survey that shows how much Canadians are struggling after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government's inflationary spending. Sixty-five per cent of Canadians now say they are concerned about saving for retirement, and 63% are concerned about how to prepare for an unexpected financial event. It means less savings, more concern, more risk. The Prime Minister is just not worth the cost.
When will the Prime Minister end his inflationary spending so Canadians can plan for their future again?
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- Oct/20/23 11:38:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I find it curious that the member opposite even refers to pensions. Under what the Conservatives are proposing, they would gut the Canada pension plan. What the Conservatives are proposing would also result in Canadian families receiving less money from the federal government.
We have the Canada child benefit. In fact, cheques are going out today to families right across the country. That is important support for families that are having a hard time making ends meet. The Conservatives would see that program completely cut.
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- Oct/20/23 11:39:07 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, speaking about misinformation, that response has nothing to do with what is actually happening in people's lives.
The latest MNP consumer debt index shows that 51% of Canadians are $200 or less away from not being able to complete their financial obligations. “Facing a combination of rising debt carrying costs, living expenses and concern over the potential for continued interest rate and price hikes, many [Canadians] are stretched uncomfortably close to broke.”
This is Canada after eight years of the NDP-Liberal government. When will the Prime Minister stop his inflationary spending so Canadians can afford to live again?
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- Oct/20/23 11:39:51 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the member opposite claims that there is misinformation. I would welcome her to clarify where exactly. The Conservatives have consistently said that they do not want to support Canadians with the programs we have in place.
We have the Canada child benefit program, which is supporting families and helping them make ends meet. Perhaps she would like to clarify if that is where they are going to cut. Are they going to cut our programs for seniors? Seniors are relying on our government at this time.
What the Conservatives are proposing is simply reckless. At a time like this, we need responsible government.
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