Tim Watchorn

In response to a question from Yves Perron

“This new housing agency will be faster and more flexible than our old programs. It will help us build homes quicker by working with partners.”

“Madam Speaker, I would like to thank my hon. colleague for his question. I think I illustrated this very clearly in my example: the dynamic and flexible nature of Build Canada Homes will make it possible to build more quickly. The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation had programs, but it had limited capabilities. Build Canada Homes is much more dynamic and much more flexible, which will facilitate partnerships and quicker housing construction.”

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“I support this bill. It creates a government corporation to build affordable homes faster. Canada needs more housing, and this agency will work with provinces, towns, and builders to fund and speed up projects.”

“Madam Speaker, I rise this morning to support the bill respecting the establishment of Build Canada Homes. This decisive law will make Build Canada Homes a Crown corporation tasked with building and expanding affordable housing for Canadians. As we all know, Canada is going through a housing crisis. To date, federal efforts have been spread out across several departments, agencies and programs, limiting the government’s ability to have maximum impact. Traditional approaches to building and financing do not provide the scale or speed that Canadians need. That is why we are taking a new approach. Every Canadian deserves an affordable place to call home. Housing is a basic need, and the growing demand for housing across the country requires urgent action. Build Canada Homes was created to act quickly and effectively. This legislation will give Build Canada Homes the flexibility and operational autonomy it needs to carry out its mandate. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will maintain a clear accountability framework with respect to the government. That will strengthen its ability to develop partnerships across the housing ecosystem and provide affordable housing at the scale and speed that Canadians need. Build Canada Homes will streamline federal housing efforts by acting as a developer, a funder, a unifying force and a catalyst for innovation in the housing sector. It will play a central role in building strong partnerships with all levels of government and indigenous communities. It will also work with non-profit organizations and other key stakeholders in the housing sector to stimulate the construction of affordable housing across Canada. This includes private developers and community organizations. However, Build Canada Homes cannot act alone. The success of its initiatives depends on partnerships. Greater collaboration between all levels of government and with key partners is needed to address the housing challenges we face across the country. Build Canada Homes will streamline and accelerate the delivery of large-scale affordable housing projects. The agency will attract public, private and philanthropic investment, thereby maximizing its impact. The Build Canada Homes Act will foster partnerships across the housing ecosystem to bring together the right funding and the right projects. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will provide access to federal lands, development expertise and flexible financial tools through a single entity. It will speed up the delivery of affordable housing by working with non-profit organizations, indigenous organizations and all levels of government. This approach will limit risk, eliminate barriers and guide projects throughout the development process. Build Canada Homes will also work in close collaboration with developers, investors and manufacturers on securing funding and building homes. It will work directly with builders and suppliers focused on long-term affordability. That includes non-profit organizations, co-operatives, community housing providers and organizations that promote different housing options for Canadians. These strategic partnerships will make it possible to create affordable housing for a wide range of households, regardless of their income. Build Canada Homes will have the authority to work under agreements with all levels of government and community partners on financial support, joint ventures and joint development initiatives. The agency will strive to create close collaboration and coordination with the provinces and territories, which will foster progress on priority projects. Among other things, that could include making land available, speeding up approval procedures or waiving any applicable fees. In April 2026, the Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec announced a partnership to support the construction of nearly 865 affordable housing units across the province. The total investment in affordable housing, supported housing and transitional housing in the province amounts to $200 million. Build Canada Homes is providing approximately $100 million, and Quebec is also contributing up to $100 million. This is a direct result of the memorandum of understanding establishing the principles of collaboration for rolling out Build Canada Homes in Quebec. Signed in January 2026, this memorandum of understanding will guide future collaboration and ensure the coordinated roll-out of Build Canada Homes projects across Quebec. Through their collaboration, the federal and Quebec governments will speed up the approval process and identify additional housing projects. The combined investments will help build more affordable housing in the communities that need it most. To illustrate the importance of this legislation, I will give two clear examples of housing projects in my riding, Les Pays-d’en-Haut. The first was built under the old programs, and the second was built using the new tools provided by Build Canada Homes. The first project is called Habitat Morin-Heights. It is a 30-unit housing project that enables our seniors 75 and older to remain in the community when they are no longer able to manage their homes. They used to have to move elsewhere. The project had the support of the community, the municipality, the Government of Quebec, and the Government of Canada, but even with all that support, five years passed between the housing units being acquired from the Société d’habitation du Québec upon completion of construction and the residents moving in. That is unacceptable. Some residents on the waiting list simply moved away, and some even passed away before they could move into their homes. Ultimately, the project has been a great success. Habitat Morin-Heights is full, and there is a new waiting list. However, five years to complete a housing project is far too long. Now, I would like to tell members about a similar project in my riding that will be carried out using tools from Build Canada Homes. I am talking about the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines in Saint‑Calixte. It is a project involving 28 affordable social housing units. After I was elected last year, I met with the 19 mayors in my riding, as well as several municipal councillors. During that tour, Michel Jasmin, the mayor of Saint‑Calixte, Lucie Chagnon, a municipal councillor, and Maria Dias-Ribeiro, the president of the board of directors for the Coop de solidarité Au coeur des collines quickly made it clear to me that the project was vital to the community and that they needed help seeing it through. The project was ready to go. It had the support of the community, the municipality and the province. The bidding process was under way. The only thing missing was the federal funding needed to start construction. After several unsuccessful attempts to get the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation on board, they submitted the project to Build Canada Homes, and in just six months everything was finalized. That is what Build Canada Homes does. It analyzes and identifies projects that will give fast results, supports them and makes it possible to start construction because the longer we wait on a project, the more expensive it becomes. I am pleased to announce that construction on the Au cœur des collines project in Saint‑Calixte will begin this summer. That is a significant achievement. To announce this wonderful project, I had the opportunity to welcome the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and the Minister of Housing and Infrastructure to my riding in Morin-Heights. I specifically chose to make the announcement at the site of the first project I mentioned, Habitat Morin-Heights. I must admit that it was a strategic choice on my part, because I wanted to show my colleagues the impact that a housing project can have on a small community. They were able to talk to the residents who had recently moved in and explore this new community a bit. They also saw that a 30-unit project in a small community is as important as a 500-unit project in a big city. They were also able to see the emotion in the eyes of Ms. Chagnon and Ms. Dias-Ribeiro, who will finally see the project they fought so hard for get built. That is the real-world impact of Build Canada Homes, and that is why we need to pass the bill to create the Crown corporation. In conclusion, the Build Canada Homes act will create a Crown corporation with a clear mandate, governance structure and powers. As a Crown corporation, Build Canada Homes will have the operational independence, governance and flexibility that is necessary to deliver affordable housing at scale.”

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“I want to share my speaking time with another member.”

“Madam Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to split my time with the member for Mont-Saint-Bruno—L’Acadie.”

“A boat dock company in my riding used government tariff aid to help export its products to the United States. I want the member to explain how these tariff programs help small and medium businesses.”

“Mr. Speaker, Les Pays-d’en-Haut has about 1,000 lakes. My riding is home to a great business called Multinautic that manufactures aluminum docks. It was able to take advantage of a tariff response grant. The company’s employees are very happy because they export a large part of their production to the United States. I would like my colleague to explain how tariff response strategies work for small and medium-sized businesses.”

In response to a question from Sherry Romanado

“We listened to the witnesses. Most of them do not want their assault cases made public. We need to respect what they want, along with the 14,000 people who gave evidence to the independent review.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for her work with the military. Coming from a military family, I appreciate the service of her two sons. We did indeed listen to witnesses, and we are aware that the majority of them do not want their cases made public. They do not want to disclose their assault in public. I think it is important to take their opinions into account, along with everything that was said to Justice Arbour. She heard testimony from 14,000 people, and it is important to consider what they said.”

In response to a question from Xavier Barsalou-Duval

“Most witnesses who spoke to our committee said they do not trust the military justice system. They want civilian courts to handle these cases. That is how we have done it since 2022, and it works well. We should not go backwards.”

“Mr. Speaker, I am happy to correct my colleague. I have sat on the Standing Committee on National Defence since I was elected, and I am happy to do so. I sat in on all the testimony that was given in connection with the study of Bill C‑11. Some witnesses did say that they would rather have a choice, but the vast majority of witnesses said that they did not trust the military justice system, that they were not convinced that investigations would be carried out properly within the military system and that they chose the civilian system. This has been in place since 2022. All the criminal cases of sexual abuse are already before the civilian courts. It works very well, and we do not see the point of going backwards.”

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In response to a question from Cathay Wagantall

“Most of the 14,000 people interviewed did not want the military to handle these cases. People do not trust the system yet. Victims still fear they will be punished or treated unfairly if they come forward.”

“Mr. Speaker, to answer my colleague, Justice Arbour interviewed 14,000 people and most of them did not want these cases to remain in the military system. The trust is not there. A change in culture is happening slowly. We hear that things are improving at the Department of National Defence, but they have not yet improved enough. Victims still fear retaliation. They fear being reprimanded, and they fear that their case will not be dealt with appropriately.”

“I want this bill passed without the opposition's changes. The bill sends all sexual assault cases in the military to civilian police and courts, as an independent expert recommended. The opposition's changes make the system confusing and hurt victims.”

“Mr. Speaker, it is always a pleasure for me to rise in the House on behalf of the people of Pays‑d’en‑Haut. Today, in the House, we are debating a bill that is very important for the military community and the Canadian Armed Forces. I would like to begin by thanking Canadian Armed Forces members, veterans and their families for their service to our country. This bill seeks to modernize the military justice system and originally included recommendations from the reports of former Supreme Court of Canada justices Louise Arbour and Morris J. Fish. These changes are essential to the long-term success of the Canadian Armed Forces and the entire defence team as they continue their important mission of defending Canada and Canadians. The bill responds to recommendation 5 from former Supreme Court Justice Arbour’s report and the eight recommendations from former Supreme Court Justice Fish’s report. However, the amendments made by the committee and proposed by opposition MPs run counter to these recommendations. I believe that all my colleagues in the House will agree with me on the following point: Bringing about lasting and meaningful cultural change within the Canadian Armed Forces must be one of our top priorities. That is why I believe it is crucial to hold this debate here, so that we can discuss the importance of upholding the recommendations of former Supreme Court Justice Louise Arbour. Today I will address the importance of recommendation 5. In 2022, Ms. Arbour submitted her final report on sexual misconduct in the Canadian Armed Forces to the Minister of National Defence. This report, entitled “Report of the Independent External Comprehensive Review of the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces”, contains 48 recommendations that focused on reforming the “institutional shortcomings” and “structural impediments” that have allowed the problem to persist. Justice Arbour’s recommendation 5 is that civilian authorities should have exclusive jurisdiction over Criminal Code sexual offences alleged against members of the Canadian Armed Forces. I quote: Criminal Code sexual offences should be removed from the jurisdiction of the [Canadian Armed Forces]. They should be prosecuted exclusively in civilian criminal courts in all cases. Where the offence takes place in Canada, it should be investigated by civilian police forces at the earliest opportunity. Where the offence takes place outside of Canada, the [military police] may act in the first instance to safeguard evidence and commence an investigation, but should liaise with civilian law enforcement at the earliest possible opportunity. She also states the following in her report: ...I do not envisage a type of permanent transfer process by which a victim would report a crime to the [military police], who would then transfer the case to a civilian police service. The experience of the interim recommendation has shown that to be unworkable. I expect victims to be told to contact civilian authorities directly, and such contact to be facilitated by the [military police] and the [Canadian Armed Forces] so far as possible. However, the amendments proposed by the opposition parties run directly counter to this recommendation. This will make it even more difficult for victims to navigate the justice system due to the complexity of the new procedures included in the bill as amended by the opposition parties. The lack of clarity and transparency will have a negative impact on the military justice system and on victims and survivors. Since December 2021, all new Criminal Code sexual offence charges have been laid in the civilian justice system. None of these offences are tried in the military justice system, and this arrangement is working. Justice Arbour also relied on the results of the Declaration of Victims Rights consultation in issuing recommendation 5. In her report, she notes: Common themes in the response to the consultation included “fear of reprisal and retaliation, lack of support, shame and embarrassment, issues with the system, the accused being protected, and the individual responsible for handling complaints being the perpetrator.” There was also a widely held perception, both among those who identified as victims of a service offence and those who did not, that the military justice system fails to treat victims with dignity and respect.... This lack of trust and fear of reprisals were also raised by the vast majority of witnesses during the committee’s consideration of Bill C-11. Here is an example of testimony received by the committee. On November 20, 2025, Paula MacDonald made the following statement during her testimony before the Standing Committee on National Defence: When I went to the civilian police, I was told more than once to go back to the military system that failed me. At the same time, my leaders reframed my complaints. Instead of naming sexual harassment and abuse of power that led to sexual assault, they called me emotional, hypersensitive and a mental health problem. She continued: In my case, the Canadian Armed Forces didn’t simply mishandle a file; it used the machinery of the military justice and grievance system to protect its membership, who violated the National Defence Act and silenced me. The misuse of state power that the charter is meant to guard against is what they did. It is exactly why the reforms like Bill C‑11 and a real shift to independent civilian jurisdiction over sexual offences is so urgently needed to maintain the rule of law within the Canadian Armed Forces. She also said the following: If a Canadian solution is to move it to the civilian system— and it seems that this is our Canadian solution—where our three Supreme Court justices, who are experts in the delivery of justice, say it should be, then this is what we need to do. I think it is pretty clear that there is a lack of trust in the military justice system when it comes to sexual offences. That is why the defence team implemented most of Justice Arbour’s recommendations, and we need to do the same for recommendation 5. This bill should establish a clear framework for investigating and acting on allegations of sexual misconduct in order to foster an environment of accountability and justice. That would not happen if we adopted the amendments put forward by the opposition parties to remove Justice Arbour’s recommendation 5 from Bill C‑11. We are encouraged by the positive changes in the culture of the defence team in recent years. Bill C‑11 and the changes it will make to the National Defence Act are a crucial step in strengthening that trust and ensuring that this change is permanent. Canadians who serve our country risk everything for us. In return, we owe them our full and unconditional support.”

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“I want to know if the member thinks it makes sense for coworkers to investigate, prosecute, and judge sexual crimes in their own workplace. Does that happen anywhere else in the world?”

“Mr. Speaker, I would like to hear my colleague’s thoughts on workplace safety. Does he know anywhere in the world where someone who reports a sexual crime gets investigated, prosecuted and judged by his peers? Does that make any sense to him?”

“Victims told an inquiry that they do not trust the military justice system. Civilian courts have handled these sexual abuse cases since 2022, and it is working. I want to know why we cannot keep using civilian courts.”

“Mr. Speaker, I thank my hon. colleague, who sits on the Standing Committee on National Defence with me. I think that today we are talking about victims. We are talking about the issue of victims’ trust in a justice system. I would like my colleague to talk about the 14,000 victims who testified before Justice Arbour that they did not trust the military system. Since 2022, all sexual abuse cases under the Criminal Code have been tried in civilian court, and that arrangement is working. Why could it not continue to work?”

“Hundreds of military victims of sexual assault said they did not want their bosses investigating their cases. They wanted a separate system. I want to know what the member across the aisle says to them.”

“Mr. Speaker, I, too, sit on the defence committee. I would like to know what the member across the aisle thinks about all the victims who were heard by Madam Justice Louise Arbour, the hundreds of victims who were interviewed and said they did not want their sexual assault to be investigated by their boss. They wanted a separate system. What does the member say to them?”