Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the temperature in the Nunakput community of Paulatuk is minus 25 degrees. With that wind chill, it will feel like minus 35. I am giving this Assembly the weather conditions in the community, because some time today or tomorrow they will have a family being evicted and they will have nowhere to go, Mr. Speaker.

Every community in Nunakput is having major problems with the way housing is being evaluated and administered. I wonder if this government and the NWT Housing Corporation recognizes the impact they are making in my region.

In a small, remote community such as...

Can the Minister identify the huge costs of eviction of a family, which would involve emergency travel to another community like Yellowknife -- and emergency housing is already crowded -- shelter and perhaps temporary arrangements for children, compare the cost of providing positive supports for a family? So that, perhaps, the result is an issue for the Housing Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I would just like to remind the Minister that the Housing Association is run out of Inuvik. They fly people into the community once or twice a month to take all the proper forms they have to fill out to get their rental assessment. But, Mr. Speaker, the biggest problem is not having somebody there to contact the people and do these assessments with the client. Why is the NWT Housing Association having to evict people in the middle of winter and not able to work with the family? This is unacceptable, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I wish to acknowledge Mathew Anikina, Debbie Gordon-Ruben, Marion Green, Vanessa Anikina, Kristin Green, Lena Kotokak and Dwayne Illasiak for being selected to represent the Northwest Territories at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic and the Paralympic Games as Inuit demonstrators.

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Mr. Speaker, we ask for too much information sometimes. The people are suffering in the communities, Mr. Speaker. I brought this up for the last two years I have been here, that people need help. Too much information in regards to the way this program has been run. They should get out to the communities sooner than later, hopefully before Christmas by the time we come back for meetings. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister needs help doing it, I am here to help him. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, will this government re-evaluate the way income support cheques are distributed and how various government departments deal with their residents in smaller remote communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on income support cheque payments. I mentioned it twice the last sitting. I’ve been receiving a lot of phone calls and e-mails regarding the new income support evaluation and how it’s being administered.

When government changed the way income support was given, against the recommendations of most community governments and organizations, furthermore the previous government offered no support, notice or plans to help the communities and residents deal with the changes. But many people have been noticing since the way the department changed...

Mr. Speaker, given that the government currently administers income support, it is not working. Given that the people, especially in our smaller remote communities, are suffering, will this government commit to immediate changes proposed by the communities and MLAs so people don’t have to suffer anymore, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the income support cheques and why are the cheques declining in the amounts. People have been noticing the department changing the way cheques are delivered, the amounts are going down. What makes the situation worse is the amount has gone down more than once this past year. People are concerned with the uncertainty. They are wondering if their cheques will go down the next time.

Mr. Speaker, will the government provide community governments with a plain language summary of why residents’ income support cheques have been...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to let the Minister know I sent a letter about two and a half weeks ago to Indian and Northern Affairs regarding the point of sale concept. I’d like to see that implemented in the local stores in the communities. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister that anything he’s going to do with Indian and Northern Affairs, if he could keep me apprised as he goes forward and any updates from the Minister. Thank you.