Taking on a new challenge

An opportunity to make a bigger difference as the Housing Minister and a reflection on serving the community I know and love.

I was at Rideau Hall yesterday, sworn in as Canada’s new Minister for Housing, Infrastructure, and Communities.

It was surreal in many ways, amid an already strange time in Ottawa. And I certainly felt more comfortable trading the pomp and circumstance of the morning for the transition binders of the afternoon.

Before doing that, I was asked by media why I’d made this decision and whether it means I’ll be running again in the next election.

Here’s what I said: I’m taking on this role to make the biggest difference I can.

Apart from Canada-US relations, housing is our most important challenge.

It’s a generational fairness challenge, with too many young people who are working as hard as their parents without the same opportunity. They can’t get ahead because the cost of housing has run away from incomes.

It’s also a productivity challenge. How can we expect talented people to stay here, work here, and help our country succeed, if they can’t afford to live here?

The homelessness we’ve seen grow across Canada is a direct consequence of a collective failure to deliver compassionate and effective solutions like Housing First.

When I shared the appointment news with my mom, she reminded me that our family lived in the Tommy Douglas co-op on River Street in Toronto when I was born. And there’s a lot more we need to do to close the gap between what Canadian governments used to invest in social and community housing versus the governments in my lifetime.

Sean Fraser is a good friend and he’s put a lot of work in to set us up for success (including a $1.5 billion program for a new generation of co-op housing). I hope to build on that work and, in doing so, to make the biggest difference that I can.

It won’t be without its challenges, of course, especially with a short runway and the ongoing palace intrigue around the Prime Minister and his future.

It’ll be an adjustment to go from MP to Minister. After all, I’ve been vocal, at times, in holding the government and Prime Minister accountable. I don’t intend to stop playing that role. I’ll just be doing it now around a table where it matters most.

The biggest challenge will be to the time with my young family.

About a year ago, after a relentless provincial leadership race, I decided not to run again and to spend more time with family. I do that gut check before every election, to figure out whether the personal sacrifice is worth the difference I’m able to make.

With this new role, there’s a bigger opportunity to make a difference.

I’ve received thousands of messages encouraging me to reconsider my decision with so much at stake in this election in particular.

And over the last year I’ve found a way to be very active in Canadian politics and also a good dad and husband. I coached my son’s baseball this summer, for example, and don’t see why I can’t be the Housing Minister and also an East York Baseball coach.

I know there’ll be some missed moments. Crawford turns 5 tomorrow. And while I was able to stuff a pinata with candy for yesterday’s party early in the morning before travel to Ottawa, I couldn’t get back in time to see him celebrate with his friends.

So no, it won’t be easy, but I’m confident I’ll be able to make it work. The opportunity to make a difference on important challenges is why I joined politics in the first place. And we need to protect our progress in an election where it is more at risk than ever.

Thank you to everyone in Beaches-East York who has been behind me, encouraged me, and trusted me to serve. I’ve written before that it’s the best job I’ll ever have, and I hope to continue to serve you as Housing Minister and as your MP as best as I can.