Bill C-304 still waiting for a fall vote

Summer is finally here. As the lawnchairs and the barbeques come out, MPs are headed back to their home constituencies and Bill C-304, calling for a national housing strategy, is still awaiting a House vote. Hope for the bill’s passing started to wane during the third and final round of House debate in early May, when the Bloc Quebecois withdrew its support. Up until this time, Liberal, NDP, and Bloc MPs had supported the bill in a promising attempt to overcome consistent opposition from the Conservative minority. The Bloc backed out, however, once the amendment allowing Quebec to opt out of the housing strategy with compensation was omitted.

Now, the Private Members Bill, introduced by NDP MP Libby Davies, likely won’t get the number of votes it needs to pass into law. While Conservatives were pushing for a quick vote, Davies was hoping to postpone it, buying supporters of a national housing strategy time to speak directly with Conservative and Bloc MPs to persuade them to vote in favor of the new bill. C-304 already has the support of a few conservative groups in Quebec, which may help influence the Bloc, as well as over 50 major organizations nationwide.
With last week seeing the end of the legislative session, the earliest a House vote could occur is when Parliament resumes in the fall. If the bill passes, it will be forwarded to the Senate for further review. This delay makes now a great time to contact your MP to explain why Canada needs to follow the lead of all other G-8 nations and institute its own national housing strategy to end homelessness.
 

Katie Burke
Pivot Intern