Eric Melillo
Kenora—Kiiwetinoong, Ontario · Conservative · Canada
“Mr. Speaker, the minister already mentioned in the discussion today that we are in a housing crisis. He spoke earlier about the fact that buyers cannot buy and builders cannot build. I would agree with that. I would add that people who are looking to sell also cannot sell during this housing crisis.”
“Now that the Liberals are bringing forward more spending, more bureaucracy and more of the same, how are Canadians supposed to believe that the Liberals are going to get us out of this housing crisis that they caused, with more policies that are right along the lines of the policies that caused this crisis in the first place?”
“Mr. Speaker, there is no question that Canadians want, need and deserve to feel safer in their communities, especially after the Liberal government has unleashed a crime wave across the country. The minister , of course, acknowledged here today that Canadians want this urgently.”
“Mr. Speaker, over one year into this Prime Minister 's mandate, and Canadians are still waiting for action on the national projects that were promised. Despite Liberal rhetoric, no new pipelines have been approved, and major projects continue to be stuck in purgatory, including the Trans‑Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadians from every province, calling for the federal government to support the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Madam Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister , Canada is the only G20 country that is in a recession. We also have the second-highest unemployment in the G7, the worst household debt and the worst housing costs.”
The complete record
Every one of 164 lines we hold for Eric Melillo, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 1 of 4.
“Now that the Liberals are bringing forward more spending, more bureaucracy and more of the same, how are Canadians supposed to believe that the Liberals are going to get us out of this housing crisis that they caused, with more policies that are right along the lines of the policies that caused this crisis in the first place?”
“Mr. Speaker, the minister already mentioned in the discussion today that we are in a housing crisis. He spoke earlier about the fact that buyers cannot buy and builders cannot build. I would agree with that. I would add that people who are looking to sell also cannot sell during this housing crisis. However, of course, we are in a housing crisis after 11 years of Liberal policies that have brought in more bureaucracies, higher spending and higher inflation that have driven up the cost of living and doubled the cost of housing for Canadians right across the country. That is why we are in this housing crisis.”
“Mr. Speaker, there is no question that Canadians want, need and deserve to feel safer in their communities, especially after the Liberal government has unleashed a crime wave across the country. The minister , of course, acknowledged here today that Canadians want this urgently. They urgently want some changes to the situation that the Liberal government has caused. However, the Conservatives have brought forward a number of proposals, including Bill C‑242, the jail not bail act that would keep serious offenders behind bars and not out on bail, yet that was defeated by these Liberals. How can the minister stand here today and talk about the urgency of addressing the issue that the Liberals caused in the first place with their own reckless policies, when they voted against our common-sense proposals to keep serious offenders behind bars?”
“Canadians know our national highway holds national importance, and its time the Liberals recognize it too. I stand once again, urging the government to finally make good on its promises and finally get shovels in the ground.”
“Mr. Speaker, over one year into this Prime Minister 's mandate, and Canadians are still waiting for action on the national projects that were promised. Despite Liberal rhetoric, no new pipelines have been approved, and major projects continue to be stuck in purgatory, including the Trans‑Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario. Improving this vital piece of infrastructure is top of mind for people in our region, whether it be for the safety of travellers or for our overall economic sovereignty. That is why I have been advocating for this project for nearly seven years. Recently, I presented a petition to this House, signed by Canadians from every single province, calling on the government to support improvements to the highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, I rise today to present a petition signed by Canadians from every province, calling for the federal government to support the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario. The petitioners note that this is a stretch of highway that unfortunately has frequent collisions and fatalities that subsequently lead to many road closures, which then stall the economy. From the standpoint of safety, economic growth and security, as well as protecting national sovereignty, the petitioners are calling on the federal government to support the twinning of the Trans-Canada Highway through northwestern Ontario.”
“Madam Speaker, under the Liberal Prime Minister , Canada is the only G20 country that is in a recession. We also have the second-highest unemployment in the G7, the worst household debt and the worst housing costs. The Liberals will say that this is just a technical recession, but there is nothing technical about Canadians who are struggling to feed their families, fill their gas tanks or make their bill payments. Will the Prime Minister tell us finally whether this is a Liberal recession or just a technical recession? Which is it?”
“Mr. Speaker, I am presenting a petition today on behalf of over 1,000 people who are urging the government to support the proposed REACH facility in Red Lake. The petitioners note that the current Cochenour Arena is one of the oldest in northern Ontario, and a new facility would provide a modern, expanded space for recreation. The petitioners also note that the facility could serve as an evacuation centre for northern communities frequently displaced by wildfires. Lastly, Red Lake has submitted numerous funding applications but has not received the necessary approvals. I am proud to stand with the good people of Red Lake.”
“I am curious if she can explain why she will not be supporting this motion, given her comments that what the Liberals have brought forward is insufficient. We are planning to go further to offer Canadians more savings.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for Saanich—Gulf Islands' speech. I thought it was very thoughtful. I agree with many of the things she highlighted, one of which was this. If I am not mistaken, I believe she pointed out, quite rightly, that what the Liberals have proposed in terms of removing gas taxes until Labour Day is “insufficient” savings. I believe that was the word the member used. I would agree with that. That is why our Conservative team is bringing forward this motion today to remove all gas taxes for the rest of the year, which would save an average family over $1,200 for the year. I am sure the member would agree that Canadians are struggling with the cost of living. That being said, she has acknowledged that she will not be supporting this motion.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the opportunity to catch the Speaker's eye and join debate again on this topic. The Liberals always talk about the price of gas and they try to blame foreign influences and foreign conflicts. Conservatives recognize that those foreign components have a cost associated with them. However, if we look at Canada compared with the United States, the price of fuel is 13% higher in Canada. That is very clearly a result of Liberal taxation policies. The Liberals would argue that it is not. With all due respect to the hon. member, how would he justify that 13% difference in the gas price between Canada and the United States, if not for Liberal taxes?”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member for Kings—Hants ' thoughtful comments on this topic. The fact of the matter is that the Liberals have created a cost of living crisis. Canadians are struggling from coast to coast. What we are putting forward, the elimination of all fuel taxes for the rest of the year, would save an average family over $1,200 this year. The member spoke a lot about some of the small changes the Liberals are now trying to make to fix the issues they caused in the first place with respect to affordability. Would he not agree that allowing Canadian families to save an extra $1,200 this year would help alleviate that cost of living crisis?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Liberals are on track to add $1 trillion to the national debt. This is the cost of a decade of Liberal credit card budgeting. Now the Liberal Prime Minister , despite his illusions, has added more taxes, more costs and more debt, more of the same. He is just another Liberal. As a result, they are going to be paying more on interest payments this year than on health care. Will the Liberal Prime Minister finally get serious and cancel his credit card budgeting so that Canadians can afford to live?”
“Madam Speaker, the Prime Minister , last year, was elected, in part, on a promise of being a strong fiscal manager. Fast-forward a year to this economic statement and we see, in reality, more spending, higher debt and a budget deficit of over $65 billion, double that of Justin Trudeau, if anyone can believe that. It is interesting to hear the Liberals talking about their strong fiscal position when, in reality, they are bringing forward a reckless fiscal plan. I want to know how the member can explain this reckless policy at a time when Canadians are struggling to get by and facing a cost of living crisis.”
“Improving the Trans-Canada in northern Ontario is a win for all Canadians. It will strengthen our economy and protect our sovereignty. If the Prime Minister is serious about nation-building projects, he should start in northern Ontario.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Trans-Canada Highway is top of mind for the people of northern Ontario, whether for safety, economic security or nation building. During a 10-day stretch last winter, the region saw five collisions that resulted in eight fatalities. These types of accidents are far too common. It is also the only east-west corridor in the country. When the highway is delayed just 30 minutes, it costs the economy nearly $50,000. With more opportunities in mining, forestry and nuclear bringing more traffic to the region, this impact will only become greater. The Prime Minister speaks often of protecting our economic security and developing nation-building projects. Despite this rhetoric, no new pipelines have been approved, mines are not being permitted and the national highway continues to be ignored.”
“It is just another one of the Prime Minister's illusions. Conservatives are calling on the Liberals to vote for our motion to remove all federal taxes on fuel for the rest of the year so Canadians can afford to keep their tanks filled and can have more money in their pockets.”
“Mr. Speaker, fuel costs are soaring, and people in Northern Ontario who must travel great distances for essential trips are paying the price. To make matters worse, Canadians are paying 20% more for fuel than our American counterparts. That is why Conservatives have a plan to remove the GST on fuel, the fuel excise tax, the industrial carbon tax and the clean fuel standard for the rest of the year. Our plan would cut costs at the pump by 25¢ per litre and save a family of four over $1,200 this year. The Liberal Prime Minister has already admitted that Conservatives have the right solutions for Canada, but what he is offering will not be nearly enough for people who are struggling. He is going to remove only the excise tax, and only until Labour Day. This half-baked measure will not provide the real relief that Canadians are looking for.”
“Mr. Speaker, Canada has already lost 100,000 jobs this year, and today, Algoma Steel is laying off 1,000 workers. The Liberal Prime Minister cannot blame only global factors, because Canada has the only shrinking economy, the second-highest unemployment, the highest food inflation and the highest household debt in the G7. These are problems that the Liberals created, and the Liberal Prime Minister has made it worse by blocking growth with anti-energy laws, failing to approve a single new major project and breaking his promise to secure a trade deal last year. When will the Liberals get their taxes and policies out of the way so that Canadians can get back to work?”
“Mr. Speaker, the hon. member is absolutely right. As I mentioned, this is something we see across northwestern Ontario and many regions of the country, including in Saskatchewan. There is a lot of opportunity for development. Northern Ontario has what the world needs in terms of critical minerals. There are many opportunities for that, but we need the housing to be able to house the workers. It is a very simple concept. We see it in major development. The Liberals talk about self-reliance and getting things built here in Canada. They need to start with housing in northern Ontario if we are going to see that reality.”
“Mr. Speaker, I certainly agree with the premise that the government is creating another Ottawa-knows-best bureaucracy that is not going to be effective. I would submit to the member that we should look at ways of incentivizing the provinces and the municipalities to get more homes built. That is part of what I mentioned in my remarks, tying infrastructure dollars that municipalities receive to homebuilding permits. This would ensure that we are not just giving a blank cheque and expecting that something is going to happen with that, and that these dollars are going toward houses being built, doing everything we can as a federal partner to work with municipalities and provinces, and doing all we can to incentivize that development.”
“Mr. Speaker, I would simply remind the member that she ran on a platform to cut development charges. This is something the Liberal government promised it was going to do in the election campaign and, after being elected, has completely walked away from. It is one of many solutions I have laid out, solutions to address the Liberal-made housing crisis. We know that housing prices have doubled since they took office in 2015. It has priced many young Canadians completely out of home ownership altogether.”
“We would cut development charges by 50%, something the Liberals have promised but have failed or refused to do after being elected. We would also end the capital gains tax on reinvestments in the country's homebuilding sector. It is clear that only Conservatives have a plan to restore the Canadian promise of home ownership by axing bureaucracy and taxes on homebuilding, requiring municipalities to issue more permits and letting builders build the homes we need.”
“The Liberals have now admitted that it is a crisis, but their answer is only to create another multi-billion dollar housing bureaucracy, their fourth housing bureaucracy, which is only going to construct 1% of the promised homes they need. They promised 500,000 per year, and in reality, housing starts are expected to fall to just 212,000 per year by 2028. However, Conservatives have a solution. We do not support adding more bureaucratic red tape to the housing sector. That is why we would cut the GST on new homes under $1.3 million, which would save families up to $65,000 and unleash new buildings. We would tie federal infrastructure dollars to homebuilding, ensuring that municipalities must permit at least 15% or more for homebuilding each year.”
“The prices are skyrocketing because of red tape and a lack of competition in the builders that are available to build these homes. However, instead of addressing these concerns, the Liberal government just keeps throwing money at the issue, and not just in first nations but right across the country. The Liberals are creating more bureaucracy, and communities are not receiving adequate housing as a result. When we look at the Liberal approach overall over the last 10 years, they have failed to recognize that housing is a crisis of their own policies and of their own making. Under their watch, housing prices have doubled, and many young Canadians have given up completely on their dream of home ownership.”
“We have seen a number of reports, whether on housing, drinking water or other critical infrastructure, where the government is spending a lot of money, making a lot of announcements and creating a lot of programs, but the results are not changing. Life is not improving in the communities. I am proud to represent 38 first nations across Treaties 3, 5 and 9, and each of these communities has their own unique housing challenges. We have seen reports from the Auditor General, which have repeated that the government is failing when it comes to first nations housing. The Auditor General has pointed out that, despite massively increasing spending, as I mentioned, the Liberals are not meeting their obligations. In fact, homes are being built without being up to code.”
“It is about 336 square kilometres and has a population of less than 1,000. There is a lot of space to build in Ear Falls. There is nothing but space. In fact, there are even many lots that are serviced for housing development in Ear Falls. They are ready to go. Residents in Ear Falls are hoping as well to capitalize on some of the mining activity that we are seeing in the Red Lake and Ear Falls region, but they need to be able to build the houses to make that happen. I would note as well that the government is always talking a big game when it comes to first nations but not following through. That is certainly the case when it comes to housing in first nations.”
“(1305) These are just a couple of local examples of the massive gap in housing that exists, but in northwestern Ontario, I think we can see some of the solutions to the housing crisis, namely the land we have. There is a lot of land in northwestern Ontario, and indeed, a lot of land right across the country. Much of it is either vacant land or properties that can be used for housing development. I would include in that the underused and, quite frankly, deteriorating Health Canada-owned properties in Sioux Lookout. I implore the government, once again, to release these properties for housing development to help address the massive gap in housing that we see in the community of Sioux Lookout. It is a hub of the north and a service centre for many remote first nations. We see it in Ear Falls as well. Ear Falls is an interesting community.”
“In northwestern Ontario, in Red Lake, I was speaking with the mayor last night, and he told me that the community must build at least 40 new homes over the next decade, with an expected population increase of 1,900. That population increase they are expecting is good news. It comes from new mining developments in the region and job growth, with 1,000 jobs at the Kinross Great Bear project. First Mining Gold is bringing in 600 jobs, and Frontier Lithium is bringing over 700 jobs. In addition, there is an expansion of the current Evolution Mining operation by 300 people. West Red Lake Gold Mines is also looking to hire another 200 people.”
“Of course, what is going on in northwestern Ontario is not likely to be captured in a national newspaper, unfortunately, but in northwestern Ontario, the city I live in, Kenora, currently has a shortage of 1,620 units, and that deficit is projected to grow to 2,500 units by 2031 as population grows and service demands increase. This has led to rising rents and home prices, of course. Businesses and organizations are also reporting difficulties attracting workers to the region and retaining them, due to the lack of housing and rental options. Many business owners are looking into buying houses that would be owned by the business, strictly for their workers to live in, because there is no other way of bringing workers to the region or keeping them there.”
“We see it right across the country in the headlines. I would like to look at a few headlines from the real estate section in The Globe and Mail today. I will point out that The Globe and Mail is not necessarily known for its street cred as a Conservative newspaper. Nonetheless, we see, “Townhouse seller in Bolton accepts bid $24,000 under asking”. There is also “Five bidders vie for semi-detached in [Toronto]” and “Buyer waits for Calgary condo price to come within range”. These are just a few headlines from today's paper. We see this over and over, week after week, right across the country. The Liberals have created a housing market where buyers cannot buy, sellers cannot sell and builders cannot build. How does that look locally?”
“Mortgage rates are rising, and many people, even those who have a home, perhaps even their dream home, are now worried they are not going to be able to continue making payments. In fact, Canadians are carrying record household debt of $2.6 trillion, and most of that is from mortgages. There is no question as well that homebuilding is trending down. The Liberal government likes to talk a big game about building housing and other infrastructure at speeds never before seen, but homebuilding has been trending down under Liberal governments over the last 11 years, including under the current Prime Minister . From spring to fall last year, 26% fewer permits were issued to build homes. This is a dramatic decrease, showing that the government's policies are continuing not only to not address the issue but also to make the issue even worse.”
“It is the result of Liberal policies and a high tax-and-spend agenda that has driven up the costs of housing construction, interest rates and mortgage rates, and has led to a situation where people right across all walks of life, at different income levels and different ages, are struggling to find appropriate housing. As I mentioned, this is something we see right in northwestern Ontario. I do not know how many seniors I have spoken to who are looking to downsize but cannot find an appropriate place. They are in too big a home. They want to be able to downsize and to move out of their home. They want to allow a young working family to be able to buy their home, but they are unable to do so. As a result, an entire generation of young Canadians are being priced out of home ownership.”
“Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to join the debate on Bill C-20 , a piece of legislation purportedly aiming to address the housing crisis in Canada. We know that the Liberals are talking about the legislation in the light of believing that it would build Canadian homes, but we know from reading through the legislation and from the past work, after 10 years or 11 years of Liberal governments, that it would only build more Canadian bureaucracy. There is no question that we are in a housing crisis. We see it right across the country in communities big and small, whether large cities like Toronto or the small rural communities of northern Ontario that I represent.”
“Mr. Speaker, the difference between the Liberal rhetoric and the realities facing Canadians is stark. Canadians are not working, because Liberal policies are not working. We have the only shrinking economy in the G7, and now the second-highest unemployment in the G7. To make matters worse, Canada has the highest food price inflation in the G7. We are leading in all the wrong categories. When will the Liberals remove the taxes and bureaucracies that are killing jobs in Canada and driving up the cost of living?”
“Mr. Speaker, the February jobs report is dire news for Canadians. Canada lost 108,000 full-time jobs in February. This is the largest one-month decline in full-time employment since COVID. Further, we saw 73,000 job losses in the private sector, and youth unemployment shot up to over 14%. Under the Liberals, Canada has the only shrinking economy in the G7, and now the second-highest unemployment in the G7 as well. When will the Liberals listen to Canadians and the plan that we have put forward to remove taxes and the bureaucracies that are killing jobs in Canada?”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate the member's speech, specifically what he had to say around critical pieces of key infrastructure. We have heard many times throughout this debate that Canada has what the world wants and needs, but we have to be able to get it out to the world. Of course, northern Ontario is home to the Ring of Fire, which hosts many critical minerals. The Province of Ontario is moving ahead with a road to the Ring of Fire, and the federal government is dragging its feet and completely not at the table. This is the type of nation-building project Canadians want to see moving forward, so we can ensure our economic self-reliance and support our economy. The member mentioned a bit about that. I wonder if he has any further comments on the need for that critical piece of infrastructure.”
“There is a difference between the rhetoric coming from the Liberal Prime Minister and the reality that forestry workers are facing in northern Ontario and British Columbia. I wonder if the member has any other comments on that.”
“Mr. Speaker, I think it is really important that we are talking about global trade and access to other markets apart from the United States. This is obviously a very positive thing. I think all Canadians understand that we need to diversify our trade. However, not all trade is equal, and not all trade can simply be replaced. I think that is true of forestry. The American market is very vital to our forest industry. I know in northern Ontario, many workers are now without work. They are looking for jobs, struggling to get by and unsure of when the next paycheque is going to come because of the inaction of the Liberal government. The Prime Minister promised he would get a trade deal with the United States by last year, and of course that has not happened.”
“Madam Speaker, I appreciate the member's response on that important conversation. With all the challenges we have, whether it is on trade or the economy, we can see continually that the Liberal members and the Liberal government are saying one thing and we are not really seeing any action as a result of it. The Prime Minister has been in office now for a year but continues to say that he is new on the job. Canadians are noticing, and at some point we are going to need to see some results from the government.”
“Madam Speaker, I would like to make a comment for the hon. member, and I am sure she will agree with me. Based on a lot of the comments we have been hearing from Liberal members during the debate today, they keep imploring Canadians to trust the Prime Minister because of his résumé. I would like to look at the facts. The facts are that the Prime Minister promised a free trade deal with the United States by last year, but it has not happened. I know forestry workers are among the many across the country who are facing the devastating results of that. The Prime Minister also promised that we would have the strongest economy in the G7 and we now have the only economy that is shrinking in the G7. There is certainly a difference in the rhetoric coming from the Liberal government and the reality that Canadians are facing.”
“Mr. Speaker, I appreciate that the member opposite acknowledged there is a housing crisis. For 10 years, the Liberals have said everything is fine as costs drive people, particularly young people, out of the market. We know many young people are still living with their parents, unable to find a place to rent, let alone a place to buy, and start their family, but the Liberals are still talking about this issue as if there is nothing they can do about it and they are just bystanders in the process. The solution they are now bringing forward is yet another housing bureaucracy, which has been proven to not work time and time again. There are tangible things the Liberals can do, like cutting taxes on new homes or stopping their inflationary spending that is driving up the cost of living.”
“Madam Speaker, I would simply like to make a comment for the hon. member's consideration. One of the top issues I hear across northwestern Ontario is with respect to the rising cost of living, in particular the cost of food. We know that Canada has the highest grocery price inflation of the G7 countries. People are looking for a plan in this budget to cut taxes, cut inflationary spending and bring down the deficit in order to bring down the cost of living. Instead, we see the exact opposite, so the question I often hear is why the Liberals are going forward with $90 billion of new spending and a $78-billion deficit, which will only drive up the cost of living at a time when so many people are struggling to get by.”
“That is why Conservatives are advocating for a plan to take the sales tax off of new homes under $1.3 million, a plan to cut bureaucracy and accelerate homebuilding so that all Canadians can afford a place to call home.”
“Mr. Speaker, the Canadian dream of home ownership is fading for young Canadians. A new report from CMHC highlights that homebuilding is expected to fall in each of the next three years and that housing prices will rise. Another report from the Missing Middle Initiative shows that nearly half of young Canadians are having to leave the community that they were raised in because they cannot afford to live there. The report states further that over 90% of young Canadians are concerned about the state of housing in Canada. It is time to restore hope in the promise of Canada, hope in the promise that, if people work hard and play by the rules, they can afford a good home in a safe neighbourhood.”
“Mr. Speaker, a recent study has found that, on average, gen Z Canadians have only between $9 and $16 left at the end of the month for spending cash. This is barely enough for survival, let alone long-term saving goals. Another report from the Missing Middle Initiative found that 93% of young Canadians are concerned about the state of housing in Canada, with many giving up completely on their dream of home ownership. Will the Prime Minister stop telling young Canadians that they have to make even more sacrifices and instead end the taxes and bureaucracy that are stopping them from building their savings, starting a family and owning a home?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Ear Falls sawmill has been shut down since October. The Ignace mill is expected to close in March, and now 150 people will be affected by the closure of a line at Thunder Bay Pulp and Paper. Every day more closures are announced. These are good-paying jobs for hard-working Canadians that are now gone. The government's rhetoric of supporting workers is not matching the reality of the workers who are losing their jobs. Conservatives stand ready in the House to support government actions that will save forestry jobs. When will we finally see some action from the Liberal government?”
“Mr. Speaker, a report from the IMF means absolutely nothing to the workers from Ear Falls sawmill who have lost their jobs. They do not want more big government programs. They just want their jobs back. The Prime Minister said he would negotiate a win. That has not happened. He said that Canadians should judge him by prices at the grocery store and prices keep rising. By every standard the Prime Minister has set for himself, he is failing. If the Prime Minister cannot negotiate a trade deal, will he at least cut the inflationary spending, the industrial carbon tax and the new fuel tax, so that Canadians can afford to buy groceries?”
“Mr. Speaker, the Prime Minister said he should be judged by prices at the grocery store, but seven months later, prices are skyrocketing and Canadians are struggling to put food on the table. Canada's food price report shows that Canadians will have to pay an extra grand to buy groceries next year. To make matters worse, sawmill workers across the country are facing job losses as their mills close. The Prime Minister promised he would negotiate a trade deal. He has failed to do so, and now he just says, “Who cares?” With more Canadians struggling to buy groceries, more job losses and more broken promises, what is it going to take for the Liberals to finally care?”
“Mr. Speaker, that is definitely what young Canadians are facing. That dream of Canada's promise has been taken away after 10 years of the Liberal government driving up the cost of living and pushing the cost of housing to the point that young Canadians are giving up on their dreams of home ownership. The Liberals are just moving forward with the exact same policies, which is going to continue to put more of a burden on future generations.”