Jackie Jacobson

Thank you. Once it’s given to the retailers, we have to have something in place that’s going to police them in regard to the pricing and making sure the subsidy is getting to the people, especially in the small communities because it’s the highest cost of food in the Northwest Territories.

What else can the government do directly to help bring down the price of basic foods in the remote communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was on the high price of the Food Mail Program and the high cost of food in the communities. It is a huge problem. Mr. Speaker, my question today is for the Premier. Will the Premier work with the federal government to help ensure that the food mail subsidies are visible to the consumers of the Northwest Territories and effective in bringing down the food prices in the remote communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last summer the federal government announced changes to the Food Mail Program for Canada’s North, basically to subsidize the cost of transporting food through Canada Post. The new plan is to subsidize retailers directly. We all hope the new program will finally reduce the cost of healthy food in our remote communities and improve the variety of food available. The new subsidy applies to such foods as milk, fruit, vegetables and bread. Just yesterday the Indian and Northern Affairs Minister said it will continue to subsidize some other goods such as toilet paper. He said...

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to welcome Charlie and Ann Kasook from Inuvik. I’d like to also congratulate Ann for this Wise Women Award. And my good friend, Baba Pedersen’s mom, Ms. Lena Pedersen. Welcome to the House. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Thursday, March 10, 2011, I will move the following motion: I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Tu Nedhe, that this Legislative Assembly strongly recommends that the Minister responsible for the Northwest Territories Housing Corporation establish an optional maximum rent scale for public housing in communities with no real private market, with rents set as follows:

$1,200 per month for four or five-bedroom units;

$1,000 per month for a three-bedroom unit;

$800 per month for a two-bedroom unit; and

$600 per month for a one-bedroom unit.

The assessments that are being done, in regard to the assessment, the people that are going into the corporation, some of them not wanting to go there because of certain staff, Mr. Speaker, will the Minister follow up with the officials at Housing to make sure the housing arrangements are made with the tenants of Paulatuk who are in danger of eviction? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the Paulatuk housing situation we’re having over there with the evictions that have been taking place. We had four evicted already, Mr. Speaker. I was talking to the mayor this morning and he said there are eight more families supposedly on the list.

Mr. Speaker, I’m asking the Minister, will the Minister order that any evictions now that are in the works for Paulatuk be stopped in their tracks until we can deal with the issue out of the Inuvik office? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When I have the mayor of Paulatuk on the phone wondering why people are being evicted from their homes, where they’re going to go, to live in the school, Mr. Speaker, we have a big problem. I’ve spoken to it many times in this House and the Housing Minister has come to the community and yet on and on it goes without a solution.

Four families have already had to be moved in with relatives. It puts stress on the families involved, it’s hard on the kids and even harder on the grandparents. Elders wonder what’s happening, why is it happening. Now another eight families are...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Well, I’m asking the Minister, Mr. Speaker, that if we could stop all the evictions that are taking place now until they get the families to go in and get a repayment plan done and work together to keep the people in their homes instead of having the houses sitting there empty and being able to keep families in their homes and not causing grief to the family in regard to having to move into other families’ houses. There are not too many houses in Paulatuk, Mr. Speaker. There’s nowhere to go. So I’m asking if the Minister could commit to me today to stop the evictions...

Thank you. The biggest problem is when in 2006 ECE took this program over, all the arrears that all built up. Now that Housing is taking it back they’re seeing fit to try to get the money back, which I’m in full agreement with. The Minister always says, you know, sweat equity, everybody has to pay, and I agree with that. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister commit to me in regard to coming back to the community of Paulatuk himself to sit down with the leaders to keep the current tenants in their homes? Thank you.