Ms. Libby Davies (Vancouver East, NDP): Mr. Speaker, what does the Prime Minister say to the 1.7 million Canadian households that desperately need affordable housing? What does he say to homeless people around the streets? What does he say to aboriginal people off reserve?
In his rush for Conservative support, he betrayed them and there is anger and outrage that he broke his own promise for $1.5 billion for housing while rewarding his corporate buddies.
I challenge him to get out on the street at night, experience the impact of what he has done and then think about his corporate tax cuts. Is he willing to take that responsibility and see what he has done?
Hon. Andy Scott (Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development and Federal Interlocutor for Métis and Non-Status Indians, Lib.): Mr. Speaker, first of all the promise of $1.5 billion in new housing will be kept. That was repeated in the throne speech.
The reality is that money that is available now, about $800 million, has simply not been spent.
On the question of first nations housing, we have a round table process in place. It is slated to come to a conclusion this spring. The Minister of Finance has acknowledged that we will need more money and we will get it.