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Liberal MP and housing minister Gregor Robertson raised eyebrows in the House of Commons this week when he suggested that the ongoing war in Iran is contributing to Canada’s housing crisis.

Speaking on the spring housing report, MP Jacob Mantle noted that condo sales have collapsed, housing inventory of all types has surged, and financial conditions have worsened for homebuyers.

He said, "Here's the most concerning thing about that report. It says that Canadians are delaying starting families because of housing unaffordability, delaying marriage, delaying children, the very foundations of our society, because they can't afford a home. We've offered one positive solution: remove the GST on new homes for all Canadians. Will the Minister commit to doing that today?"

In his response to Mantle, Robertson framed the conflict in the Middle East as a contributing factor, despite no clear connection to Canadian housing markets.

The remarks drew immediate criticism from opposition members and commentators, who highlighted the minister’s track record and unmet promises. Robertson touted the government’s Build Canada Homes program, noting that 9,000 homes have been delivered so far, which is miles short of the 500,000 units promised.

Commenting on the statement, Pierre Polievre said, "So now Liberals say you can't afford a home because of the war in Iran. How much land, lumber, drywall, and concrete do we import from Iran? Zero. But rest assured that all the other Liberal disasters will now be blamed on totally unrelated foreign conflicts."

Robertson’s remarks are the latest in a series of Liberal government attempts to deflect responsibility onto international events to explain domestic policy failures.