Jackie Jacobson

Given the cost of living in most northern communities, it makes healthy living a luxury only for the privileged that can afford it. Currently the residents of Nunakput could pay up to $10 for a small bag of salad. Given the current approach, it seems just not to revise the status quo. Mr. Speaker, this government has to place the current review changes to the Food Mail Program a priority and get involved in regards to the point of sale. That is what I would like to see, an actual...When you go to the store, you will have two prices, the price that the store paid and the price of the cost of...

I would like to recognize Mr. Gordon Norberg originally from Tuk, his wife and his daughter Natasha. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is proposed changes to the Food Mail Program. Currently, when residents of Nunakput go to the grocery store to buy groceries, they are shipped and subsidized by the Food Mail Program. They still could pay up to $10 for a salad or even more for two litres of milk.

Mr. Speaker, given the sufficient amount of spending on the Food Mail Program, this should not be happening. This is not the original vision or intention of the Food Mail Program.

The food mail system has evolved into the largest federal government subsidy program in the North, Mr...

I really want to work with the Minister with regard to this and Rural and Remote committee. We know how important this is to our people in the small, remote communities, people on income support, people with big families that are having to struggle with the high cost of living and trying to feed their kids right now, Mr. Speaker. The biggest thing is getting in to speak with the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs to get this rectified sooner rather than later. People are going hungry in the communities, Mr. Speaker, and we have to do something soon. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I was speaking to the Food Mail Program in my riding of Nunakput and more or less all over the Beaufort-Delta and the Sahtu in the small communities. Considering there’s northern nutrition and considering that only 62 percent of each dollar spent within the Food Mail Program actually results in reduced prices, the rest is being lost between Canada Post and they say the airlines, but I think it’s more the local stores not passing it along to the person who’s buying the groceries, the retailer.

Will this government work progressively with the...

I am encouraging the government to work with the Members of the Legislative Assembly to work progressively with the Government of Canada so the Food Mail Program works and can be adopted whereby each dollar of the federal government provides northern nutrition and results in a dollar reduction to the cost for the northern consumer.

Mr. Speaker, we owe the accountability to our constituents. We owe this to the health of northern consumers. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

We are lucky in Canada to have equality of health care access to all residents. It’s a right, but that’s not always the answer and shared with all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, recently in central Canada a perfectly healthy young boy passed away of H1N1 within days of catching the flu. During the years and flu season, this government must implement extra measures to monitor and treat all residents of the NWT equally and not just regarding the flu, but all medical conditions. We all know how fast medical conditions can progress; even a one or two-month situation could mean...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. These next few months would be really serious in regards to the H1N1 flu pandemic. I really wish that...No, I’m not going to wish; I’m going to tell her, Mr. Speaker. I want my people to be treated just like people are down here in the South Slave in regard to doctor visits and being taken care of properly. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, my people in my riding don’t see doctors probably within six months, say, for Sachs Harbour. I have two elders sitting in Edmonton in the hospital because of not being seen properly and it being dragged out.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that recent developments of the H1N1 swine flu shows how fast it can affect people and, God forbid, communities, Mr. Speaker, and given other medical conditions deteriorate in a matter of months, will the government commit to providing double the doctor visits and detailed in policies with the Minister of Health and Social Services in our small and remote communities? I’m not just talking about Nunakput, Mr. Speaker, I’m talking about the Beaufort-Delta and Nahendeh and Tu Nedhe. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.