44th Parl. 1st Sess.
September 19, 2024 10:00AM
- Sep/19/24 10:19:26 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to commend my colleague from Parry Sound—Muskoka for his excellent contribution. He did a good job explaining and presenting what we are discussing today. This subject is of interest to a great many Canadians and Quebeckers too. The housing crisis we are facing today was caused by this government, which has mismanaged its files since it came to power in 2015.
My colleague spoke about this government's incompetence, which I believe takes many forms. I hope to have the opportunity to point to some of the factors that led us to this housing crisis, which has sadly affected all of Canada and all of Quebec, including in places where homelessness would have been unthinkable. This has caused terribly unfortunate situations in our cities as well as in our small towns.
As my colleague was saying, people are having to sleep on couches. This is a hidden form of homelessness, and even our small towns are not immune to it. In fact, this is happening in my riding and pretty much across Quebec. Other forms of homelessness are increasingly visible, and that is so unfortunate to see. It is truly sad that people in Canada, a G7 country, a G20 country, are not even able to put a roof over their heads. Plenty of ordinary Canadians are now finding themselves on the streets, homeless.
This week I heard a man on a call-in show describe his situation, which was pretty cut and dried: He was forced out of his home because the landlords were taking over the property. This is allowed in Quebec. He found himself on the street because there is no housing. He bought himself a tent and that is where he lives today. Does anyone think we have palm trees and sunny skies year round in Canada? October is coming. November too. In December the snow comes, along with temperatures in the negative twenties and thirties.
These people will be sleeping outside. As parliamentarians and members of this legislature, we cannot simply look away. It borders on the criminal to do so.
Thomas Mulcair, a well-known former politician who used to lead the NDP, is now a high-profile political commentator in Quebec. He said that the Prime Minister and his government promised affordable housing in 2015. They promised they would build homes so that everyone would have a roof over their head. Where are we today? The situation, as my colleague pointed out, is worse than it was nine years ago, when this Prime Minister came to power.
Many people of all backgrounds and circumstances have entered our country in recent years, and it was the Liberals who did this. However, they built less housing. How can it be that they did such a poor job? Let us crunch the numbers. Fewer homes were built in 2022 than in 1972, despite the population having doubled. How can they have done such a poor job? I repeat, fewer homes were built in 2022 than in 1972, despite a doubling of the population. In my opinion, someone somewhere is not doing their job. Someone, somewhere, on the other side needs to wake up, because this is not working.
The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, or CMHC, has indicated how many homes must be built by 2030 if we are to try and get a handle on the situation.
We will need 8.5 million housing units. I am not the one saying this. It is the CMHC. They are the experts. Here are some figures. I do little summaries like this on every sector in Canada. I can also talk about the budget and a whole host of other things, but since I only have four minutes left, I am going to focus on the housing question. Rent has doubled since 2015. Mortgage costs have doubled since 2015. Of all the OECD countries, Canada is the slowest to build. Of the G7 countries, based on our land mass, Canada has the fewest homes, and yet, if one looks at a map of Canada, it is not for lack of space.
In Toronto, it takes 25 years to save for a down payment, when that should be the repayment period. That is unbelievable. I repeat: Fewer housing units were built in 2022 under this government than in 1972. Something is not working. Right now, money is being spent left and right. We do not know what is happening with that money. Right now, we are seeing just how overwhelmed Canada's big cities are with what has been happening, especially in Montreal. Does anyone feel like going to Montreal these days? Shots are being fired, there are guns everywhere and people are sleeping outside. That is the current situation.
Our leader introduced a bill to build housing and encourage the use of federally owned surplus buildings and land, but it was voted down. The bill stipulated that municipalities would have to build 15% more housing and meet housing construction goals. How could anyone think that voting against that bill was a good idea? I will tell the House why they voted against it. They voted against it simply because it came from the Conservatives. That is the only reason. It is a matter of partisanship, when what we are trying to do here is to take care of Quebeckers and Canadians, to put a roof over their heads. That is what we are trying to do here—
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Mr. Speaker, that is an excellent comment. I apologize. I can be quite intense, and I get fired up with tough subjects like this. I am now seeing homelessness in Lévis, which was never the case. I had never seen it before, but it is there now. We see homeless people. There are young people sleeping in shelters, under bridges or in their cars. That is not normal. It is unacceptable. Our leader introduced Bill C-356, which was defeated. I do not understand how anyone could have possibly thought it was not a good idea. How could they think it was a bad idea? The bill died at second reading.
I only have 10 seconds left, so I will end on this note: When we are sitting on the other side of the House, we will get this done.
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- Sep/19/24 10:32:31 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I would like to go back to what my colleague said at the start. I am an intense person, but I am also extremely respectful. At no time have I ever said anything in the House that might have been hurtful to a fellow member, irrespective of party. That has never happened. The member is suggesting the contrary. This saddens and pains me. She is absolutely right, I did knock on the desk, but I apologized. I got carried away. I wanted to emphasize that.
The member asked if I am going to continue supporting community agencies. A simple search of my background would have shown her that I got my start in the community sector and that I have promoted many community groups. I can assure the members of this House that I have nothing but the deepest respect and gratitude for the work done by community organizations, be it in the field of health, housing, transportation or radio, which is where I started. We are a government in waiting and an opposition that listens to people's views and maintains very close relations with the community sector.
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- Sep/19/24 10:35:14 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I do not disagree with my colleague. Elections are held, and the democratic will is expressed. That is perfectly true.
However, I would note that, when my leader pointed out what was happening in some cities, particularly in Quebec, including homelessness, things started to move a little. Neighbourhoods mobilized, people made decisions and long wait times for permits were shortened. The situation changed.
I think those are all good things. When people feel like others are watching, things get moving, and that is helping to resolve the housing crisis.
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- Sep/19/24 11:17:35 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Bloc Québécois regularly says that it listens to the Government of Quebec. It says that it listens to the Government of Quebec and its demands regarding federal files.
We know that the Liberal government has been piling up failure after failure over the past nine years, which is causing a lot of dissatisfaction.
An hon. member: Oh, oh!
Mrs. Dominique Vien: I am getting to—
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- Sep/19/24 11:18:20 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, the Liberal government keeps piling up failure after failure, especially on housing.
The Government of Quebec made its wishes very clear this morning. It wants the Bloc Québécois to support the confidence motion the Conservatives will be moving next week. Will the Bloc members listen to the Government of Quebec and vote with us, yes or no?
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- Sep/19/24 11:20:11 a.m.
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Mr. Speaker, I have known the member for Thérèse-De Blainville for a long time. I know she has ideas. I am extremely surprised that she did not answer, other than to say that it was an excellent question.
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