For Immediate Release
17 October, 2023
NDP Leader, Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre), expressed his disappointment that his caucus’ notice of motion calling for an emergency debate was not given unanimous consent by the House of Assembly today. Dinn says the debate was needed to discuss the housing crisis currently impacting the province, and ensure government is treating housing with the urgency it deserves.
“It was very disappointing that government refused to unanimously support the request for an emergency debate on the housing crisis,” said Dinn. “This confirms that this government does not care that vulnerable people are living in tents, seniors are being forced out due to exorbitant rent increases, or that minimum wage workers are taking on multiple jobs to afford rent.
“We have proposed multiple solutions that would improve the situation and today affirms that the government is not interested in hearing them or responding to the crisis by providing relief to every day people.
“We will continue to present solutions like rent control, repairing and retrofitting NLHC units the government left vacant and uninhabitable, and to expand rent supplements. Those solutions continue to fall on deaf ears.
“We learned today that government’s focus is not on vulnerable people.”
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For further information, contact Eddy St. Coeur, Director of Communications, NDP Caucus at 729-2137 (o), or eddystcoeur@gov.nl.ca