For Immediate Release
19 October, 2023
NDP Leader, Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre), is outraged that the Premier, and the Minister of Children Seniors and Social Development have misrepresented the number of new units built to the people of the province. They repeatedly said to media and in the House of Assembly that government has built 750 new housing units over the last year. A report published by CBC Investigates reported that contrary to claims by the Minister and the Premier – 11 units were built. Dinn is demanding proof.
“This is an outrage. How could the Premier and his Ministers think it was remotely acceptable to confidently misrepresent the number of housing units to the people of the province while the housing crisis continues to grow,” said Dinn. “We knew this government was reactionary and had no plan to actually help, but it’s unfathomable how any member of government slept at night while parroting misinformation from what can only be described as a concerted effort to hide their failures from the people of the province.
“Many of us working with people in need watched as the housing situation was getting worse all the while government was touting these new units they’ve built. Now we know it is because they were not actually building these units. All I can think of is the false hope given to the people across the province without a safe, affordable, place to live.
“People sleeping in tents and those without affordable homes deserve better. The people of the province deserve a government that is forthcoming with the truth about the housing crisis. We called on government to debate the housing crisis this week, no government member would acknowledge the need to debate the crisis and discuss possible solutions. This is unacceptable and an NDP government would never be so callous and disrespectful to the people the government is meant to represent.”
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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