Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I’d like to speak about telephone service in the North and the problems with the phone services in Tuktoyaktuk this week. Since early last week telephone service has been down. NorthwesTel has experienced problems with one of its frame relays. Technicians couldn’t get to the site until today due to high winds and extreme cold. They found the problem at the Parsons Microwave Site halfway between Tuktoyaktuk and Inuvik. The next day long distance completely failed.

On Friday tower crews were able to fly in with helicopters to repair the structural problem on the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I look forward to seeing that information that the Minister has. The bottom line, Mr. Speaker, is the safety concerns of the people of Tuk and the people of the Northwest Territories in the remote communities if something like this was to happen. I know we can’t control the weather, but we had three days prior to the blizzard hitting the community of Tuk and the response to the community for the phone line system. Mr. Speaker, I mean, we have to hold NorthwesTel accountable in regard to their action in the service business. We need to get NorthwesTel to...

Thank you, Mr. Minister. In regard to the phone lines being down, you know it creates a lot of hardship on families just not talking to their loved ones or even your parents. Is the Minister willing to give his support to the community to make a complaint to NorthwesTel regarding their service?

With NorthwesTel having the people bear the brunt of this weak service or lack of service in the community for the telephone system, I hope NorthwesTel and our telecommunications rep, our Minister should get a letter into NorthwesTel requesting a full investigation on how they can make better this problem.

Mr. Speaker, this is a new program I’m asking for. It’s nothing to do with what you’re initiating right now. It’s a program that we’ve seen people get sent out of the community and coming back, no aftercare, and the next thing they’re back doing their passive abuse.

Mr. Speaker, given that across the Territory community governments and organizations are saying the same thing -- the communities’ number one problem is not enough counselling support -- will this government commit to a small, fully functional, around-the-clock, fully equipped addictions centre with nurses and counsellors in every...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on addiction to substance abuse programs. The substance abuse situation and the lack of real support services is in crisis in the Northwest Territories. It has one of the highest levels of addictions needs per capita in Canada with one of the lowest expenditures program assistance. This government continuously is criticized for the lack of real initiatives when it comes to the war against drugs and other forms of substance abuse, especially for the youth. The government is in an excellent position to take a lead role with all levels of...

Again, I love my home community of Tuktoyaktuk and my other three communities I represent in my riding. As mentioned in my previous Member’s statement, during my community visits in Nunakput and the mayors and the community leaders all identifying the lack of professional and social support as one of the most serious issues in the communities, Mr. Speaker. People are very passionate about these issues and have lots to say. As a government, we must listen and we must act. I think this government should review our current territorial strategy on addictions and other counselling programs that can...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement, Mr. Speaker, was substance abuse and aftercare. I have a question for Minister Lee of Health and Social Services. Will this government adopt a duel system to provide an equal number of days for post-program assistance in their home community? For example, the participant spends 30 days in an addiction program and there will be a minimum of 30 days of professional support in their home community. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

…on a go forward plan. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Chair. I really want to echo on what Mr. Krutko was saying in regard to misdiagnosis, people not being sent out in time in regard to cancer. In my communities that I represent, we’ve seen a lot of death in regard to cancer because of misdiagnosis and other certain illnesses that our staff is not basically passing along information as simple as travel to getting them down to their hospital appointments in the South.

The last 18 months I think in the communities we’ve been really hit hard with doctors’ visits and not seeing any doctors, no dental. You know, the eye doctor I think...