Some Conservative MPs are frustrated after their leader, Pierre Poilievre, barred them from promoting a federal housing fund in their constituencies, sources told Radio-Canada.
Sources say that Poilievre has instructed Conservative MPs to stop advocating on behalf of municipalities in their ridings who want to obtain funds through the $4-billion Housing Accelerator Fund.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” one Conservative source told Radio-Canada. “MPs are being stopped from helping their cities for partisan reasons.”
The Housing Accelerator Fund is designed to help cities build housing-related infrastructure. As of June 30, 177 financing agreements have been signed outside of Quebec under the program.
Poilievre has vowed to end the program to help finance his campaign promise to abolish the GST on sales of new homes under $1 million. He has instructed his MPs not to promote the fund.
“If by any chance I attended a municipal housing announcement funded by a Liberal initiative, I would be in a lot of trouble ” a Conservative source told Radio-Canada.
Conservatives from various provinces spoke to Radio-Canada on the condition they not be named, citing their fear of repercussions.
A controversial memo
Their unease stems in part from a press release distributed to the media earlier this month by Poilievre’s spokesperson on behalf of 17 Conservative MPs. The Conservative leader’s office distributed the release without consulting the MPs it named, one source said.
The release lists 17 Conservative MPs who wrote to Housing Minister Sean Fraser to request a share of the housing accelerator cash for their communities. They are Dan Albas, John Barlow, Michael Barrett, Kelly Block, Frank Caputo, Adam Chambers, Michael Cooper, Branden Leslie, Rob Moore, John Nater, Rick Perkins, Blake Richards, Lianne Rood, Gerald Soroka, Karen Vecchio, Ryan Williams and John Williamson.
“When the Liberal government announced this program, they promised it would build homes. Now we know that was a lie,” the release said. “Those who engaged the Liberal government did so because Trudeau and Fraser lied to municipalities by telling them it builds houses.
“Now that we’ve seen the proof that this failed Liberal program doesn’t build homes … no common sense Conservative supports it.”
But a source close to the matter said the MPs were never informed that Poilievre’s office would make their names public and prevent them from applying for the funds on behalf of municipalities in their ridings.
Radio-Canada contacted the 17 named MPs several times; none of them responded to interview requests. Those whom Radio-Canada tried to approach in person refused to comment.
“I have nothing to add. The letter speaks for itself,” Barrett said. He did not say whether he agreed with Poilievre’s order or whether he was consulted before the letter was made public.
Conservative sources familiar with the matter are criticizing Poilievre’s approach.
“This is no time to play politics with housing,” one Conservative source said. “Cities are entitled to their fair share of the pie, even if it comes from the Liberal government.”
The Conservatives who spoke to Radio-Canada all support Poilievre’s plan to abolish the GST on new home sales.
“I hope we’ll abolish the GST and eliminate administrative waste,” one source said. “But in the meantime, cities need help to build housing and deserve access to available funds.”
Radio-Canada contacted Poilievre’s office for comment but did not receive a response.
Angry mayors
Radio-Canada and CBC News also contacted mayors of towns in the ridings represented by those 17 Conservative MPs named in the press release.
At least two of them said they’re disappointed with the Conservative leader’s approach to housing.
“We expect that the people elected to represent the constituents federally will help us,” said Merlin Blackwell, mayor of Clearwater, B.C.
Clearwater is in Conservative MP Frank Caputo’s riding of Kamloops—Thompson—Cariboo.
“I’m going to ask him [Caputo] to try to put the partisanship aside,” Blackwell said. ” If you started that process, you should finish that process.”
Alan Brown, mayor of Butternut Valley, N.B. echoed that argument and criticized the change of course imposed by Poilievre on his local MP, Rob Moore.
“I think it is irresponsible … The responsibility, ethically and by their job, is to advocate for the constituents in their riding,” he said. “Whether it comes from your party or another is irrelevant.”
The two mayors also disputed Poilievre’s claim that the Housing Accelerator Fund doesn’t lead to housing construction. The money contributes to the construction of key infrastructure on land that’s coveted by developers.
“You can’t build the house if the sewer and water lines aren’t there in order to service that house,” Blackwell said, adding that’s a major issue in rural areas.
Clearwater is seeking federal funds for a $4-million project that would add 450 new homes needed to house future workers in a copper mine project in the area, Blackwell said.
Clearwater also wants to build a new 100-bed seniors’ centre so that seniors don’t have to leave the area to receive care. It’s the kind of project Blackwell said he doesn’t think could be funded by Poilievre’s proposed GST holiday.
Blackwell said he expects partisan politics to be a factor with a federal election on the horizon.
“But that really doesn’t help the communities that Mr. Caputo represents on the ground here,” he said. “I’m hoping that we can be above partisanship and move things forward.”