Conservative MPs frustrated after Poilievre bars them from promoting housing fund: sources
CBC
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.
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.
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