Jackie Jacobson

Now it is time this government works with the federal government and the ministerial offices of Tony Clement, Minister of Industry; and Chuck Strahl, the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs; and the Minister of Canadian Northern and Economic Development Agencies, to ensure getting the prioritization it deserves. This government must devote resources and attention to this megaproject that it deserves. Without this commitment we don’t look very serious. I’ll have more questions for the Minister at the appropriate time regarding the pipeline.

A constituent told me a similar situation where one time they had to wait due to cancellation, because of a lack of passengers, for four days away from their home. Mr. Speaker, will the Minister take the initiative to try to coordinate alternative arrangements when scheduled medical travel flights have been cancelled such as coming back to Yellowknife going through Kugluktuk up to Ulukhaktok? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today was travel from the outlying communities; Ulukhaktok and smaller communities that travel from communities for medical travel to either Inuvik or Yellowknife being bumped off. Will the Minister commit to working with the various departments and agencies to implement changes provided by the communities to improve the administration for medical travel to prevent future patients to have to wait in their communities or transit centres and half the time while in pain, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Recently, on my last visit to Ulukhaktok, various leaders, elders and representatives expressed concerns on medical travel that is being coordinated. Some of the leadership said the medical travel patients are constantly being bumped off Aklak Air from Ulukhaktok to Inuvik and vice versa. There are only two seats reserved on Aklak’s flights into the community, therefore, patients travelling to see a specialist or a doctor most likely get bumped.

This has been an ongoing issue since the route was changed from Yellowknife to Inuvik. There are countless patients that go...

When the patient is in pain in the communities, they must be flown out the next day or the next flight, no questions asked, to the nearest hospital. Mr. Speaker, there’s no reason that is good enough to have patients suffer needlessly, especially due to an overbooked plane. Mr. Speaker, how long does the Minister expect people to wait in their home communities in severe pain before a medevac is warranted? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Flying from Yellowknife straight to Ulukhaktok would save all parties physically and financially.

Over the years I’ve raised many concerns regarding the GNWT’s Medical Travel Policy and how this could be more suitable for small and remote communities. Over the years the Minister has found many excuses to defend the current policies. Will this government and the Department of Health listen to what the people of the Nunakput community of Ulukhaktok are asking for and implement their recommendations and concerns regarding medical travel, administrative procedures and policies?

As our community’s...

After, she had received the Governor General’s Award for the Commissioner Volunteer Award, the highest level of national health and welfare of Canadian volunteer award and the National Aboriginal Achievement Award. She was named to the Order of Canada and her last accolade was when she accepted the Governor General’s medal. When she accepted these awards she brought acknowledgement to all women who helped her along the way. She is survived by her son Gerry Kisoun, Shirley Kisoun, Yvonne Camsell, Judy Mahoney, Dennis Allen and Donna Kisoun.

Last April 5th, Ronald Storr passed away in Aklavik. He...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is paying respect to the people who have passed away, and their families and friends, since the last sitting of this Assembly.

We lost a really important elder in our community of Tuktoyaktuk. Mr. Jimmy Komeak passed away April 2, 2010. Jimmy lost his parents at an early age and was raised by Peter Panaktalok. He married Jean and had seven children. He started with the RCMP in Cambridge Bay in 1941 and was a well-known reindeer herder in the Mackenzie Delta area. Jimmy will be sadly missed for his sense of humour and always teasing.

Out of...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This afternoon my Member’s statement is on the carnivals that are starting to happen in the Beaufort-Delta this coming weekend.

We have the Muskrat Jamboree coming up this weekend. I look forward to seeing the dog races, the Isaac Simon 20-mile dog race, the snowmobile races, games on the river, and starting to dance. I see Mr. McLeod’s ready to go dancing soon. We’re looking forward to it and I hope everybody has a safe weekend in Inuvik and has a good time, sees some family and friends.

After that, next week is the Aklavik 100th Anniversary Carnival. Really looking...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. Today hearing a lot of my colleagues in regard to this project, you know, it being the Bridge Act in the 14th Assembly coming into the time of being signed off in the 15th Assembly and now us having to deal with this issue, I want to really make it clear for the smaller communities, like my colleague Mr. Beaulieu was mentioning, that we have to let the communities know that this project is not going to affect us in the long term and all the projects that we do have on the books will stay as is on a go forward basis. I really think that anybody that’s going to be impacted...