Jackie Jacobson

Only the most important riding in this whole Territory, Mr. Speaker.

---Interjection

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today: community subsidies and assistance for professionals.

Recently in one of the Nunakput communities they evaluated their subsidy contract with the teachers. As a result, they felt that continuation of these subsidies is very important. Providing subsidy and assistance for two professionals to costs such as accommodations goes to the very core of the number of issues facing small, remote communities, especially in the Nunakput region.

Due to the unique geographic challenges and enormous operating costs, our communities are continuously disadvantaged while trying to...

Will this government re-evaluate the community’s entire subsidy program or programs and provide the standard of measures to fairly distribute resources accordingly to the need of the cost of living? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the teachers’ housing subsidy that is being looked at and being cancelled this year for the community of Tuktoyaktuk. The teachers that we try to retain in the small communities, it’s tough enough to get good quality teachers. We have to provide accommodations like we do with the nursing stations to try to help out as much as we can. It’s a critical time to continue the success for our students. I’m asking the Minister of Education if it’s possible to get the subsidy back in place for the community of Tuktoyaktuk in regard to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. If we don’t support our teachers, Mr. Speaker, who’s going to support our students? There’s got to be a way that the department can find money to support the subsidy program. I think it’s $20,000 a door per year per unit, or $25,000, $150,000 that could be found for the community that is needed, Mr. Speaker. This has to be dealt with in a timely manner. The sunset is close at hand in regard to this. We have to support our teachers in the housing situation in Tuktoyaktuk, Mr. Speaker. I need the commitment from the Minister that he will work with me and the Housing...

The sun just came back in my riding two weeks ago, so no sunset clause, please. Will the government recognize the real challenges of the small, remote communities that face recruiting and retaining professionals for the various needed subsidy assistance programs and commit to providing ongoing multiyear resources to the program? We have to do this for the students in our future. The communities in my riding, we’re the furthest north and the hardest hit all the time. This government has to step up to the plate and help our teachers in the communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today is the Inuvialuit tradition respecting our elders and people who have passed away. It’s very important to me. I always start off my Member’s statements with paying respect to the people who have passed away and their families and friends.

Since the last sitting of the Assembly there have been many deaths in our region. In the community of Tuktoyaktuk we lost elder Suzie Kikoak. Condolences to the family, her children: Lena, Caroline, Brenda, Steven and Violet.

December 4th we lost Daniel Reid. Condolences go to his wife, Maryanne, and his stepchildren, Priscilla and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I, too, would like to stand up today and thank Ms. Gay Kennedy for all the hard work that she’s done with myself and working on our Member’s statements and making sure they’re concise and to the point. Then for Ms. Verna Currimbhoy for the last three years here. As soon as you walk in the door, she’s right there, did you get this, did you get that, just like having my mother.

---Laughter

She’s done a lot of hard work for us, a lot of hard work for Nunakput, and the people of Nunakput want to thank you, Verna. I hope you enjoy your retirement.

I’d also like to recognize Mr...

You’re welcome.

It is a big mess that ECE left behind in the communities and all across the Territories. Has the Minister told the LHOs how to resolve the problem? Will the Minister try to come back into the community? We had about 65 people in attendance at the meeting for the questions that we did have. Is the Minister, with the correspondence he does have, how is the department making out with regard to answering the community and myself?