“We should not be debating the old economic plan two days before the new budget. The government will not fund a local housing project in my riding for people with mental barriers just because work on it already started. The free market alone cannot fix the housing crisis without non-profit housing. People with disabilities need special support.”

“Madam Speaker, first, my colleague is absolutely right. Here we are debating the spring economic statement two days before the delivery of the next budget. It is completely outrageous. I will talk briefly about an organization in my riding, L’Arche Canada, which has a project called L’Arche Comox Valley. It is trying to get a project going so it can help people with mental barriers, and the government keeps denying any funding for it. The government comes up with obscene and absurd reasons why it cannot fund it, saying that it will not be able to fund it now because the project has started. This is going to be completely out of reach for people. These are people who absolutely need our help. As well, the Build Canada Homes has not supported people. Nowhere in the world has the free market solved an affordable housing crisis alone. It needs non-market housing. Does my colleague agree that people with mental barriers and disabilities need special support?”