Ottawa, ON – James Bezan, Conservative Shadow Minister for National Defence, released the following statement calling on Hon. Sean Fraser to appear at the Standing Committee on National Defence:
“After eight years of Trudeau, no one is immune from the inflationary taxes and spending that have resulted in the doubling of housing costs and the affordability crisis. Our brave men and women who serve in our military are proud, and they should be proud of their service. Sadly, they too are experiencing homelessness and struggling to make ends meet after eight years of this Liberal Government’s neglect and inflationary policies.
“Over 4,500 members of the army, air force and navy are waiting for proper housing. But after 8 years of Trudeau, the Liberals have built less than 20 homes per year for our military.
“A special committee of the Nova Scotia Legislature heard how current serving members of the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) were camping in the tent communities that have swelled in record numbers around Halifax, living in their cars or couch-surfing. The Executive Director of the Royal Canadian Legion Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command described this as “a serious incident or epidemic.” The Division Chief of Emergency Management for Halifax said, “People cannot afford to live here. They cannot secure housing, they cannot secure a rental… they’re regularly now going to food banks.”
“Despite these shocking accounts, the Government denied there were serving members struggling with homelessness and tried to get everyone to look the other way.
“It’s morally bankrupt for the Liberals and their NDP and Bloc coalition partners to literally leave our troops out in the cold. It is even more appalling that they would deny it and casually move on.
“That is why common sense Conservatives asked the NDP and Bloc members of the Standing Committee on National Defence to join with Conservative members and request an emergency meeting of the defence committee and invite Liberal Housing Minister Sean Fraser to appear and explain why he and the Liberal Government have allowed this to happen.
“Not surprisingly, the NDP and Bloc cover-up coalition refused to sign our letter and continue to shield their government masters.
“This crisis is happening right in Minister Fraser’s backyard, and he needs to come before Canadians, answer questions, and be held to account.
“Common sense Conservatives won’t stop trying. Without the support of the NDP and Bloc to hold a timely meeting, we will be moving the following motion at the next scheduled meeting of the Standing Committee of National Defence:
That given the testimony from witnesses at the Nova Scotia Legislature’s Standing Committee on Veterans Affairs, which repudiated denials from the Department of National Defence regarding military homelessness, and that given that there is widespread and incontrovertible evidence that after 8 years of Justin Trudeau as Prime Minister our military members can’t afford food or housing, the Committee invites the Hon. Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, to answer questions on the military housing crisis.”
“Common sense Conservatives are the only party standing up for our troops and demanding answers from the Trudeau government that has neglected them for eight years.”