Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This past summer we had a fire up in Tuk, a dump fire. We had volunteers going out there, chemicals burning, breathing apparatuses were insufficient because they were cracking at the seams of the masks. Your bunker gear, it’s just right worn out. I know that he’s saying it’s the responsibility of the community, but I think the fire marshal’s office... It’s been nine months I’ve been asking this to happen. Should it take nine months for a person to jump on a plane and hit the communities and go check? Mr. Speaker, all I’m asking is the government try to commit extra...

Yeah, susceptible -- through these house fires and the highest number of deaths per capita over Canada, will this government work with the local fire marshal’s office and various funding sources to develop a real capacity for each community all over the Northwest Territories, not just Nunakput? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement was on the inadequacy of fire equipment in the communities. Mr. Speaker, considering that the communities have inadequate community infrastructure, they need a complete overhaul. Considering the cost to upgrade them, even a fraction of southern standards is very costly. Will the government commit in replacing all inadequate equipment by the end of this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’m speaking on the firefighting equipment in the communities. Per capita the Northwest Territories has one of the highest rates of fire-related disasters that occur in small, remote communities. The remote fly-in communities with equipment to fight fires is seriously deficient.

Recently I received a response from Municipal and Community Affairs, the Honourable Robert McLeod, commenting that the territorial fire marshal’s office is planning to conduct a community fire department capacity assessment. Today is October 29th. February 9th was the first time I brought...

Considering our volunteer firefighters, Mr. Speaker, are risking their lives to service and protecting our communities, will this government implement a comprehensive checklist of systems like the Minister is saying such as proper valves are functioning, breathing apparatuses, heated fire truck facilities, proper safety gear and training will be listed on the checklist? I think the best place to get the training would be down here in Yellowknife. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Considering all the small, remote communities are most sus, sus --

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to thank all our hardworking Pages over the past week, especially my two Pages from my hometown of Tuktoyaktuk: Melody Teddy and Theresa Cockney. Thank you for all your hard work. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister adjust the economic rent system so that the rental public housing is affordable so people can go find some work? Mr. Speaker, I also heard the Minister earlier today speaking about the Beaufort-Delta and the economic rent scale in regard to the pilot project. If the Beaufort-Delta housing would be able to get on a pilot project for rental, the calculations for the economic rent, to drop that rent scale down, is it possible to do a pilot project like the Beaufort-Delta, in my communities that I represent? Is it possible? Thank you.

I just want to clarify what the Minister just said. The community of Sachs Harbour, the community corporation is looking for the backing for the four-plex that was offered last year to go to the bank to build the four-plex for professionals, and what I am asking for is for the NWT Housing Corporation to give me a four-plex for the community. That is what I am asking for. They are two different things and the community is only asking for the professional housing, the community corporation. I just wanted that clarified. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Mr. Speaker, when the Housing Corporation does its Housing Needs Survey, affordability is always a big problem across the Northwest Territories. Even here in Yellowknife. Mr. Speaker, I assume the Minister agrees that $3,000 a month for a three-bedroom unit is not affordable, unless you’re making a lot more money than most people in our small communities. So how is affordability taken into account in the economic rent? How is it set for this house in Sachs Harbour?