Canada’s newly appointed Housing Minister, Gregor Robertson, demonstrates the incredible stupidity and calcified thinking of our politicians.
Read this first -> ROBERTSON
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Even an idiot will say something of value at some point. Could T**** possibly be correct with his “drain the swamp” declaration? I have said repeatedly that the majority of our politicians are incompetent, irresponsible and unaccountable with their primary goal being to win re-election to ensure an outstanding pension. Hey politicos…if the shoe fits…..
I will say it again publicly and will repeat it to any politician, face to face. There is no recourse for voters based on politicians being made accountable; the same inept, irresponsible cronies, voters can do nothing. Next election, same candidates.
Read Housing Minister Robertson’s declarations confirms these politicians think in the same way they always have. The longer they are in office, the longer things stay the same. There is no way to change this except by an election but by campaign time, these same kinds of clods roll out campaign promises like potato chips at an Italian bar. They couldn’t care less if the promises are practical, plausible or acceptable as long as they persuade the voter to re-elect them.
HOUSING CRISIS
The housing crisis has been a problem for years without any workable or successful policies to resolve the issue. The problem was obviously evident a decade ago or more. Capable politicians, people working with the citizens foremost in their minds, would have tackled the issue. Years later, the situation is worse with all its ancillary problems growing at an alarming rate. More homeless people, more tent encampments, more use of drugs, more crime. What do the politicians do….same old, same old, offering stupid and inane declarations as if they were logical and reasonable solutions.
Read Robertson. To the question if he thinks ‘home prices need to go down?’ he replies, “No. I think that we need to deliver more supply.” My old brain says this is ridiculous unless he adds “at lower prices,” which he does eventually with his words, “We need to be delivering more affordable housing.”
The number of people needing housing over the past two decades has doubled from 1.5 million to 2.5 million. Supply has outpaced demand but compound the problem with the price of homes, tripling in the same time period. Lower income families haven’t got a hope in hell of buying a home in this market. These weak politicians just keep getting re-elected.
Blame the voters? Be real! When only the same politicians campaign one election after another, voters have no real choice or alternatives. In my riding, the candidates running for the two major parties are drop-in candidates parachuted from other regions. Nothing can be done about the power of the riding associations who control the selection of nominees and final candidates.
Back to housing and Minister Robertson
Housing prices have risen relentlessly for the past decades. Wages grew at a fraction of the rate of home prices. Government policies, regulations, controls…none.
We know our housing shortage is the main driver of homelessness and it compounds the drug crisis. We also know homes in Canada are worth considerably more than an identical home in America. Robertson sees home as the “most valuable asset owned by Canadians.” “The question wasn’t should homes be more affordable? Of course they should be…I’m focused on what the federal government can and should do to increase the supply and drive down the overall cost of housing [oh woe is me over such hypocrisy].
The Toronto Star columnist, Justin Ling, offers practical and credible solutions…creation of more affordable housing and apartment buildings, condos, townhouses, bungalows, co-ops, rooming houses and so on. Robertson has not read the ideas.
Seven in 10 Canadians have said they would be happy for housing prices to go down. [The other 3 must be real estate investors.]
Robertson has shown common sense when he wrote Carney’s campaign platforms relating to housing identifying the need for more of every kind of home, to get the government back into the business of home construction and to push cities to legalize more dense communities.
Two final thoughts
Population is the problem and an uncontrolled economy are the greatest problems. We need fewer people, more regulated immigration. Wages and prices in the market place are not regulated, so the problems of income gaps with living costs will be an endless problem.
Some municipalities are tackling the issue at local and regional levels. Pickering, Ontario has received acclamation for its award winning success in home building.
What are your thoughts about the housing crisis and how it is being managed by the federal government and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson?
