Trudeau Takes Aim at Poilievre’s Video on Housing Woes, Calls It ‘Clickbait’

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre greet each other in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 15, 2022. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is going after Pierre Poilievre and his viral video on Canada’s housing woes, saying the Conservative Party leader is focused on “clickbaits and views” instead of sound policy.

The two sparred around the video and housing policy during question period in the House of Commons on Dec. 5.

Mr. Poilievre asked whether the prime minister would become the 4 millionth Canadian to watch the video he posted online on Dec. 2 and take his advice on housing.

As of Dec. 5, the 15-minute video had gathered 3.9 million views on the X platform. The video argues that the root of housing affordability issues resides in deficit spending by the Liberal government, which drives inflation up.

It also points to Canada as having the fewest number of homes per capita in the G7 despite having the most land available.

Mr. Trudeau said Mr. Poilievre is “extremely satisfied with his ability to spread misinformation and disinformation online” and that he’s focused on “self-aggrandizement,” whereas the Liberal government is focused on “delivering solutions for Canadians.”

Mr. Poilievre retorted that the prime minister is the “king of self-aggrandizement” and said he could post the video to TikTok to make it more accessible for his viewing.

The Tory leader’s video says that rents, mortgage costs, house prices, and down payments have doubled since Mr. Trudeau took power in 2015.

“An entire generation of youth now say they will never be able to afford a home. This is not normal for Canada,” says Mr. Poilievre in the voiceover.

The Parliamentary Budget Officer noted in a 2022 report that the average home price in 2015 was $413,000 and that it had reached $811,000 by the end of 2021.

Prices have gone down since, largely due to higher interest rates, with the Canadian Real Estate Association saying the national average was $656,625 in October.

But while prices have dropped, high mortgage rates do not improve affordability, and current homeowners with upcoming renewals face steep increases in monthly payments.

The average rent has also steadily increased in recent months, breaking records and reaching $2,178 in October, according to Rentals.ca.

Along with pointing the finger at deficits and fiscal policy, the Tory leader also stresses the need to cut red tape to speed up homebuilding and says the federal should incentivize municipalities that break through targets.

The Conservatives’ message centred on affordability has been resonating with voters, and the party has built a double-digit lead in the polls over the Liberals.

Meanwhile, the Liberals have increased their focus on the issue following the cabinet shuffle of the summer and the subsequent cabinet retreat.

Ministers have been having weekly press conferences and announcements to tout progress made on housing and other cost-of-living matters.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said on Dec. 5 that 300,000 Canadians have signed up for the First Home Savings Account, which was launched in April. It allows prospective homeowners to put aside up to $40,000 tax-free for a down payment.

The Liberals also seek to pass legislation to remove the GST from new rental builds and reform the Competition Act in the hopes of lowering grocery prices.

“This is a meaningful, long-term step that will create more competition, particularly in the grocery sector, and more competition will create more choice for Canadians and will keep prices down,” said Ms. Freeland.