Jackie Jacobson

Will the government explore all current technologies in the needs of the Northwest Territories and try to find ways for small, remote communities all across the Territory that can assist and benefit? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today was on economic development programs in the Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, my colleague Mr. Beaulieu has lack of jobs in our small, remote communities and people having to leave home to find work to feed their families. Mr. Speaker, will this government place more attention and resources in small, remote communities regarding community-based economic development programs to assist small businesses? These resources should assist areas such as providing community-based training and financial assistance. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, for example, with current technologies, communities all over the Northwest Territories, such as Sachs Harbour, could be a call centre. This government should take advantage of these technologies to assist in development of our community-based businesses. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Small communities all over this country are benefiting from a wide range of economic development opportunities due to advances in technology. For example, entering data for the Department of Health and Social Services, graphic design with ECE, and GIS work with ENR can be all done in the small, remote communities by Northerners.

Recently I received a response from the Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment, the Honourable Bob McLeod, committing to reviewing all of these opportunities in small, remote communities. Mr. Speaker, I challenge the Minister and the...

Just in regard to that comment that Mr. Daniels made, the capital plan for Mangilaluk School, Mr. Chairman, there is no shop, proper home economics room, storage office space. There are teachers crammed up probably 60 inches in a tiny little room that they are trying to do their papers and whatever they have to for their planning day for the students. Again, there is one washroom that they share out of 20 people. That is just not right. Ms. Bisaro said in regards to safety; I would say that is dirty. With that being said, on the capital plan, I know it is in there, allotted as a study. We have...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The cost of living the Minister brings up, I mean that’s where as a government we should be pushing our all-weather road from Wrigley to Tuk, especially the part from Tuk to Inuvik off of 177. There’s a lot of good opportunities there, training programs that we could get from that and as a whole government we should be working toward getting the all-weather highway. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I want to thank the Minister for highlighting all of those, but we want more. There are no jobs going on with the offshore oil and gas being up in the air for... The holdback on drilling for the offshore and the pipeline, we are still waiting for that. Delay, delay, delay. Hopefully we can get something done there.

Again, Mr. Speaker, as I mentioned in my Member’s statement, I challenge the Minister of the government to develop options in a concrete plan so we can deliver these opportunities to the residents before this Assembly is over.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It’s an honour to introduce His Worship Mr. Ray Ruben, the mayor of Paulatuk, and his daughters Bessie, Gloria and Rebecca. Thank you and welcome to the House.

Mr. Speaker, I seek unanimous consent to conclude my statement.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’m very glad to see that after almost 30 years of work there’s an agreement-in-principle for devolution of our lands, resources and royalties. The Northwest Territories has hit a huge milestone. There will be many opportunities for the people to come out of this.

We have always talked about our land and our future, but the federal government has been controlling all major developments that take place. The federal government also takes all the royalties. That’s just wrong. Millions of dollars every year, dollars that should be supporting our government and aboriginal...