Jackie Jacobson

Does the Minister acknowledge that some of the problems with the arrears were created by the system and not necessarily the tenants themselves?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Last week, Cabinet announced the transfer of public housing and rental subsidy from Education, Culture and Employment back to the NWT Housing Corporation. Mr. Speaker, I completely agree with the decision.

I know many of my colleagues support this transfer. Since public rental subsidy moved to Income Support, there has been a disconnect between the rental subsidy and the local housing organizations. A gap was caused when subsidized rent changed to market rent. The market rent and the gap wasn’t something the client did, but was caused by the lack of communication between...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. For myself I’m not going to be supporting this. I think the $400,000 that the Minister is speaking to, Mr. Bromley, in my communities that I represent this breakfast program is a big thing in the communities and I cannot take this money away. We can’t allocate it anywhere else. We just could take it away and I’m not going to do that. So I’m not going to support the motion. This program is needed in the communities. Families can’t go and buy $18 for a thing of cereal and $22 for milk. They go to the schools. If they get into the schools early enough, the kids will get a...

I don’t think it was Housing’s problem; I think it was ECE’s problem. The gap between market rent and the subsidized rent is too much for some clients. When the Public Housing Rental Subsidy is returned to the Housing Corporation, will the Minister ensure that the rents are not too high so clients could be able to manage?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My questions are for the Minister of Housing. Does the report recommending the return to the Public Housing Rental Subsidy to the Housing Corporation identify development of the arrears as a problem?

Yes, I do, Mr. Chair. Mr. Chair, I move that the committee strongly recommends that the Department of Education, Culture and Employment work in close cooperation with the Beaufort-Delta Education Council to take all the steps necessary to establish a full-time high school teacher position in Sachs Harbour for 2010-11…

Wrong motion, Mr. Speaker. That’s my second one. I’m speaking on the Mangilaluk School extension.

Just in regard to Mangilaluk School in regard to the motion that I would like to be bringing forward. I brought one forward last year in regard to the unique position that overcrowding in Mangilaluk School for the library and the 35 teachers and whatnot and there’s 35 staff having to share one bathroom and the library is being utilized for an office. I put a motion in last year in regard to the extension for Mangilaluk School and I think that, again, I would strongly want support from my colleagues in regard to a motion that I’ll be bringing forward here shortly in regard to that.

Mr. Minister...

Mr. Speaker, during the transfer of the New Deal, it’s difficult for the smaller communities to catch up on these. There’s too little capital dollars given to the communities. Mr. Speaker, all we’re asking for in the communities that I represent is that the fire marshal goes up there and does a proper check, a checklist in regard to the safety of the firefighters and not only that, for the safety of the people. Can the Minister commit to me that a fire marshal will go to every community and check the facilities that are in the communities? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, was the operation of fire departments in the local communities that I represent in Nunakput. Mr. Speaker, considering the volunteer firefighters are risking their lives for the service and protection of the communities, will the government develop a comprehensive checklist, whether it be proper valves functioning, breathing apparatus, heated truck facilities, proper safety training, a listed checklist to each community? Will the Minister commit to that, Mr. Speaker?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on the condition of firefighting equipment in the communities. Our small, remote communities are ill-equipped to fight fires. The approach our community fire departments are now taking is to let fires burn and to just control it. Our communities have no offensive and defensive capabilities, and that is unacceptable. Considering that the small, remote communities that are most susceptible to house fires have the highest number of deaths per capita all over Canada, you’d think this government would be working with local fire marshals and...