Senator Poirier: A report on housing affordability released last summer from the Parliamentary Budget Officer found that the two main programs of the Trudeau government’s national housing strategy spent less than half of what they were supposed to during the course of their first three years. The actual support for low-income households is 15% lower than it was prior to the start of the National Housing Strategy. CMHC’s community housing units are 42% lower than before the National Housing Strategy because the Trudeau government allowed operating agreements of 183,000 low-income community housing units to lapse.

Senator Gold, this is a record for your government according to the Parliamentary Budget Officer. How can the Trudeau government continue to claim they are taking housing affordability seriously?

Senator Gold: Thank you for your question.

The government does take housing affordability seriously. I won’t repeat what I have said, but the government has committed to a plan to help, amongst others, renters become owners. It is involved in an investment of $1 billion in loans and grants to develop and scale up rent-to-own projects. The government will also create a tax-free, first home savings account, allowing Canadians under 40 to save $40,000 and withdraw it tax-free to put toward their home purchases. These are some of the measures that the government will take to ensure that every Canadian has a safe and affordable place to call home.

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator, you have a minute and a half remaining. Would you agree to take a question?

Some Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

Hon. Jim Quinn introduced Bill S-240, An Act to amend the Old Age Security Act (definition of income).

(Bill read first time.)

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

Hon. Senators: Hear, hear!

[Translation]

The Hon. the Speaker: Is leave granted, honourable senators?

The Hon. the Speaker: Senator Boniface, your time has expired, but there are a number of other senators who would like to ask questions. Are you asking for five more minutes to answer a few additional questions?

Senator Boniface: With the permission of the chamber, yes.

Senator Pate: Thank you.

(On motion of Senator Miville-Dechêne, debate adjourned.)

The Hon. the Speaker: I hear a “no.” I’m sorry, Senator Boniface. Leave is not granted.

(On motion of Senator Wells, debate adjourned.)

(1600)

An Hon. Senator: No.

The Hon. the Speaker: Did I hear a “no?”

If honourable senators are opposed to leave, please say “no.”

The Hon. the Speaker: Honourable senators, when shall this bill be read the second time?

(On motion of Senator Klyne, bill placed on the Orders of the Day for second reading two days hence.)

[Translation]

Hon. Marc Gold (Government Representative in the Senate): Thank you for your question. This is not a coalition arrangement, as the Prime Minister made clear. I cannot answer your question because it remains to be seen what the government will bring forward in terms of its budget and what programs it will introduce. I would simply say that, as the Prime Minister announced, it’s the position of this government that this introduces a degree of stability and allows Canadians to benefit from a degree of coherence and stability in their government going forward.

Senator Forest: Certainly.

[English]

Hon. Paula Simons: In my home province of Alberta, there has been a dispute in recent days where the province wished to make it impossible for cities to maintain mask mandates. One of the members of Jason Kenney’s government said of municipalities:

Municipalities are children of the province. If the children get not aligned, maybe it’s time for someone to get spanked. . . .

[Translation]

Address

of

His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy

President of Ukraine

to both Houses of Parliament

in the House of Commons Chamber, Ottawa

on

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

His Excellency Volodymyr Zelenskyy was welcomed by the Right Honourable Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, by the Honourable George J. Furey, Speaker of the Senate, and by the Honourable Anthony Rota, Speaker of the House of Commons.

[English]

The Hon. the Speaker: Is it your pleasure, honourable senators, to adopt the motion?