They say the problem is that not enough homes are being built and corporations are buying some of the ones that are.
“That’s why we are fighting to address the issues that we’re seeing around the financialization of housing, to see a national acquisition fund and to see a moratorium on large corporations swooping in and buying those affordable homes,” said Lisa Marie Barron, MP for Nanaimo-Ladysmith.
“The largest real estate investment trusts over the last number of years benefitted $1.7 billion that they did not pay,” said Jenny Kwan, the NDP’s Housing Critic as she criticized how corporate taxes are set up.
Excalibur News: Federal Politicians Call for Better Strategies and Supports for Toronto Refugees and Asylum Seekers
Jenny Kwan, who is a member of Parliament for Vancouver East and NDP critic of housing, immigration, refugees and citizenship, noted that the IHAP announcement is a good first step but highlighted the federal government’s lack of planning in the past.
“The federal government really needs to ensure that they’re working collaboratively with the provincial, municipal, and nonprofit organizations on the ground. And in particular, the NGOs. They’re the people who actually really know what’s going on,” says Kwan.
A report by the Committee on Citizenship and Immigration conducted at the House of Commons in November 2016 examined the federal government’s resettlement efforts of 25,000 Syrian refugees between November 4, 2015 and February 29, 2016.
The committee recommended for “Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada [to] work with its partners to develop an affordable housing strategy for newcomers, and that the government work with the provinces and settlement agencies.”
Kwan says the federal government did not implement the recommended measures, even after NGOs offered to partner. “History is repeating itself. We have a large number of asylum seekers coming to Canada — there’s no preparation for it,” she adds.
Nanaimo News Now: Housing headlines federal NDP B.C. caucus meeting in Nanaimo
Barron accused the Liberals of using housing “as a commodity” while suggesting proposals from the federal Conservatives failed to look at issues around affordability. She said a moratorium needs to be put in place to prevent corporate landlords “swooping in” to purchase low-cost units.
“We know at one point we had a government where our federal government did invest in co-op housing, social housing, we need to see that happening again.”
Barron’s comments were echoed by caucus chair and Vancouver East MP Jenny Kwan who said the issue dates back to the 1980s and 1990s when the private sector was embedded in the real estate and housing market.
“These are corporate landlords that are coming in and they started to buy up the existing, private, low-cost rental apartments. When they buy them up, it’s not like they’re fixing them up and putting them on the market at the same rate. They’re jacking up the rent, evicting people…and escalating the housing crisis.”
Statement on IRCC’s sudden stopping priority processing for Hongkongers
MP Jenny Kwan's statement on IRCC’s sudden stopping priority processing for Hongkongers:
Global News: Foreign interference: CSIS told B.C. premier it can’t share intelligence, documents show
The notes of the meeting show that while the premier wanted to know more so his government could respond with policies and legislation, the CSIS official explained his agency reported only to “one client”: the federal government.
Otherwise, CSIS was prohibited by law from disclosing classified intelligence, the official said. “The province doesn’t know what the province doesn’t know,” the official added, according to notes taken by the premier’s staff.
The meeting highlighted what some see as a critical weakness in Canada’s fight against foreign interference: although provincial and municipal governments are key targets of China, they are not in the intelligence loop.
Media Release: Justin Trudeau sits idly by while Conservative premiers promote for-profit clinics
Justin Trudeau sits idly by while Conservative premiers promote for-profit clinics
NDP Health critic Don Davies issued the following statement:
Media Release: NDP frustrated by Liberals’ fossil fuel subsidies plan
NDP frustrated by Liberals’ fossil fuel subsidies plan
NDP Critic for Climate Change and Environment, Laurel Collins, made the following statement:
CBC: The House’s summer series, Backbencher’s Backyards
Interviewed by Anne Penman for The House’s summer series, Backbencher’s Backyards. Despite someone yelling “You don’t belong here Jenny Kwan. Communist pig, go home!" while Jenny and Anne were discussing the impact of foreign interference and racism, "I know in my heart that this is not a true reflection of Van East.”
Media Release: Federal government must uphold its human rights obligations and secure a landfill search
Federal government must uphold its human rights obligations and secure a landfill search
Leah Gazan, the MP for Winnipeg Centre and NDP Critic for Women and Gender Equality, released the following statement:
Hill Times: Canadians do have a choice: they have the NDP
As opposition, the NDP has tried to make Parliament work for Canadians. This is in direct contrast in both substance and style to the Conservatives.
The supply-and-confidence agreement reached with the Liberals over a year ago was an exchange of promises. Under ordinary conditions, the NDP wouldn’t fold Parliament for the sake of an election if the Liberals agreed to implement some key NDP policies. The national dental plan is a direct result of that agreement: making Parliament work for Canadians.
The NDP has seen a small rise in polling numbers, but if an election were to be called this fall—or in a year from now—its actions would certainly be viewed positively by Canadians. NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s stature has risen as a direct result.
In an election, the Liberals would find it less than easy to condemn the NDP, with whom they have been partners. Many political disagreements make the relationship between the NDP and the Conservatives difficult. The stance on women’s abortion rights being one of them.