Cabinet owes Canadians an apology for the housing crisis, a Commons petition submitted by a Waterloo, ON constituent and sponsored by a former House leader states. Waterloo Liberal MP and former Leader of the Government in the House of Commons Bardish Chagger, did not comment upon tabling the petition, according to Blacklock’s Reporter. The petition is organized by the director of a Waterloo charity Hearts Healing Humanity. “Issue a public apology by acknowledging all parties’ failure to secure this right for all Canadians and issue a public apology to all Canadians for the rights of liberty, life and security which they all have infringed upon,” said Petition E-5236.“It must be recognized housing is a fundamental human right. Our leaders must recognize the urgency of this situation and implement effective solutions that uphold the dignity of all Canadians.”“There must be accountability and a public apology Canadians impacted by the housing crisis deserve recognition for the suffering and systemic neglect they have faced with the government acknowledging its responsibility in addressing the escalating crisis.”.Fraser defends housing plan, urges critics to step aside.Parliament in 2019 passed the National Housing Strategy Act that proclaimed a “right to adequate housing.” The right was not defined.“We believe that every Canadian should have a safe and affordable home and that is why we launched the first-ever National Housing Strategy,” then-Social Development Minister Jean-Yves Duclos told the Commons at the time.“We will keep working very hard to give every Canadian a safe and affordable place to call home.”The Budget Office in a 2019 report Federal Program Spending On Housing Affordability said the “right to adequate housing” appeared unenforceable.“The act does not have any fiscal impact beyond the administrative costs associated with maintaining a National Housing Strategy,” wrote analysts.“It does not create any enforceable individual rights that would give rise to statutory spending, nor does it bind future parliaments to commit voted spending to housing programs.”Cabinet has repeatedly revised its housing targets. Evan Siddall, then-CEO of Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, testified at 2020 hearings of the Commons Human Resources Committee: “We aim by 2030 that everyone in Canada has a home they can afford and that meets their need.”Housing Minister Sean Fraser in 2023 testimony at the Senate banking committee said parliament should “provide” housing to every jobless Canadian.“If you cannot work you should have a home,” said Fraser. “Governments should work together to provide it to you.”.Rustad slams Trudeau over planned relocation of 22,000 asylum seekers to BC amid housing crisis
