Senator Gold, I’m going to give you some statistics because, of course, those aren’t partisan, right?

In 2015, the average mortgage payment in Canada was $1,400 a month compared to the average payment now — after nine years of Justin Trudeau — which is $3,200 a month. The average cost of rent for one bedroom in 2015 was $970 a month. Now, after nine years of Justin Trudeau, it is at $1,800 a month.

An average down payment, colleagues, on a new home in 2015 was $22,000. Now it is at $46,000 — double after nine years of Justin Trudeau. We all like double-double coffee at Tim Hortons, Senator Gold, but not so much when it comes to the cost of housing.

Senator Gold, my question is a simple one: Do you remember who the housing minister was in 2015? Won’t you agree that he would make a fantastic replacement for Justin Trudeau?

I remember, and as I pointed out to this chamber, his ability and willingness to build houses amounted to zero.

Since you want some statistics, here are some statistics: The rate of poverty used to be 14.5%. I think that was when your party was last in power. The government has brought it down to 9.5%, lifting a million Canadians out of poverty. The government has increased benefits for seniors since 2015; it has enhanced the Canada Pension Plan so that seniors have more support in retirement. The government is investing hundreds of millions of dollars in Canadian health care by rolling out free contraceptives and free insulin, and it has a host of projects which —

Are we talking about housing or what?

I’m talking about housing; you’re talking about contraceptives.

Senator Gold, a house that was built and sold — more stats — for $231,000 in 2015 is now being built and sold on the same street for $490,000, which is more than double. Meanwhile, do you know how many houses were built in 2015 under Pierre Poilievre when he was the housing minister? It wasn’t zero, as you claim. It was 194,000.

I’ll ask you again: Isn’t it time that Canadians get a break, call an election and bring somebody in who can do the job?

Senator Housakos, the price of housing goes up not because of who is in power but because of market forces.

You should know that.

I have a business background, and you have a business background, and I think we both know better.