‘Lawlessness has become the norm in Canada’: Local MPs address encampments, housing in Ottawa

There was no shortage of partisan drama in Ottawa Tuesday as two local MPs pressed the federal government in the House of Commons.

There was no shortage of partisan drama in Ottawa Monday as two local MPs pressed the federal government in the House of Commons as parliament opened its first question period of the fall sitting.

In the midst of a state of emergency declaration in Barrie, Barrie–Springwater–Oro-Medonte MP Doug Shipley raised concerns about safety in Canadian cities, pointing to Barrie’s homeless crisis.

“Mr. Speaker, under this Liberal government, lawlessness has become the norm in Canada. In many cities children can’t play safely in parks, families can’t walk down sidewalks, businesses are suffering, and residents are living in fear. Tent encampments and lawlessness are taking over public spaces,” Shipley said.

Last week, Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall declared a state of emergency aimed at addressing encampments across the city, growing safety concerns and extensive damage to municipal property.

The mayor shared a string of disturbing events as the defining moment for his decision. “Canada was not like this 10 years ago. When will this prime minister stop this reckless Liberal agenda and bring order back to our communities?” Shipley continued.

Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree took the question from Shipley, highlighting the Liberal plan to keep criminal activity off the streets.

• WATCH - ‘Lawlessness has become the norm in Canada’: Local MPs press government in Ottawa

“We’re partnering with police services across the country to fight organized crime. We’ll make it tougher for violent criminals to get bail and enforce stricter sentences for repeat violent offenders,” said Anandasangaree.

Parry Sound-Muskoka MP Scott Aitchison voiced his concerns on housing, pointing to the government’s own targets.

“The prime minister promised to double home building to 500,000 homes per year, but today (Monday) housing stats are down 13 per cent. Another broken Liberal promise,” Aitchison said. “Yesterday, the prime minister introduced a fourth, $13 billion housing bureaucracy to build, wait for it, 4,000 homes. What blocks home building is government bureaucracy, red tape, and taxes.”

Aitchison questioned how adding $13 billion more bureaucracy is suddenly going to solve the housing crisis.

“Why does the prime minister not understand that if we’re going to get homes built, we have to cut the bureaucracy, not add $13 billion more?” the Parry Sound-Muskoka MP questioned.

In response to Aitchison, Housing and Infrastructure Minister Gregor Robertson reaffirmed the Liberals’ confidence in their housing goals.

“This government is making an unprecedented investment in building affordable housing in partnership with the private sector and in partnership with cities, provinces, territories and Indigenous nations. We will deliver with our partnership like never before,” said Robertson.

Shipley sat down with CTV News to elaborate on the question period in Ottawa, saying this is not the Canada he grew up in.

“That’s a good indication that we can have some dialogue and tell him just how people are upset and they’ve had enough,” Shipley said. “We need to get back to enforcing some rules and some laws and making our cities livable again.”

Shipley confirmed to CTV News that he’s scheduled to meet with Minister Anandasangaree later this week.

With files from CTVs Mike Lang