What they said. What they meant.

Plain-language translations from the House of Commons.

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Build Canada Homes Act

A bill to create a new federal Crown corporation called Build Canada Homes to promote affordable housing supply and innovation. In debate, the Bloc focused on how this encroaches on an area of provincial jurisdiction and touted Quebec's distinct approach to housing. The NDP critiqued the bill's lack of concrete targets, accountability measures, or a specified responsible minister. The Liberals emphasized collaboration with stakeholders. The Conservatives warned of added bureaucracy, costs and benefits to Liberal insiders.

Official Hansard ↗

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“You should say the government should do more than get out of the way of housing.”
Our translation 57% shorter

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“I think the federal government should take a leadership role in housing. The provinces have their own programs. But I think the federal government should be involved too. I think we can agree on that.”
Our translation 77% shorter

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“I want to say the word 'collaboration' a lot. The federal government can't fix housing alone. We need to work with many stakeholders. The NDP member wants to build one million public homes. I want to know what she means by public homes. Does she want the government to build all of them? Would the government subsidize them by 30%? I want more details on her proposal.”
Our translation 58% shorter

Hon. Kevin Lamoureux

Liberal
“The bill's supporters should be able to clearly explain what it will cost and what it will do. Instead you're filling time with kind words about collaboration and processes. Remember that spending more borrowed money is not proof the government is doing enough to help. A holistic approach doesn't mean anything if none of the parts have clear goals or accountability.”
Our translation 56% shorter