Jackie Jacobson

Today I would like to talk about the lack of adequate housing for teachers in Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour.

As you know, attracting and keeping good teachers is a challenge in many of our smaller isolated communities. Housing for teachers is a major factor in the communities’ ability to attract and keep good teachers. Some have been fortunate enough to effectively address this problem, and Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok are two such communities. Unfortunately, Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk are on the other side of the issue and in desperate need of adequate housing for teachers.

In both communities, at...

Thank you, Minister, for your comments.

Mr. Speaker, would the Minister commit to immediately look at this urgent issue and meet with the communities and myself to discuss options for addressing this important issue?

Mr. Speaker, today I spoke about the shortage of teachers’ housing in the communities of Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour and its impact on the communities’ local housing market. I would like to ask the question of the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment. Is the Minister aware of the shortage of teachers’ housing in the communities of Paulatuk and Sachs Harbour?

Today I’d like to talk about a community event that is truly a community event, the muskox hunt that will be soon be happening in Sachs Harbour. In talking to community members, the hunt is a very good thing for the whole community. Currently there are 16 residents employed for the hunt in the cutting and distribution of the harvested meat. As many as 30 people will be put to work — not bad for a community of 115 people.

In addition to the meat, the hunt will provide an immediate economic boost for the community, as plans are underway to sell the delicious meat throughout the Northwest...

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

Going over the Sessional Statement from Premier Roland, for myself, I’m in favour of the Mackenzie gas pipelines. I know everybody says it’s a boom-and-bust cycle, but for myself and the people of Nunakput and the Beaufort-Delta, we rely on the oil and gas industry, as the south relies on the diamond mines.

The position I’m coming from is in regard to more jobs for the people. Tuk becoming a deep-sea port is possible — as many as 300 jobs almost year-round for a community of 1,000 people who are affected by the high cost of living, housing issues. Give our people in the...

Mr. Speaker, I'd like to welcome my wife, Jenny, and my cousin Mrs. Stephanie Ungman, and Penni Ungman, Tristan and Angel to the House.

I was copied a letter from the mayor of Sachs Harbour to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment outlining the community’s concerns about the lack of availability of housing for teachers, and how some government policies have a negative impact on newly hired employees.

It is simple, Mr. Speaker. There is a limited rental market in Sachs Harbour. Newly hired teachers have been forced to double up to share a public housing unit because there is nowhere else for them to go. In addition, when the rent was calculated on the unit last year, they ended up having to pay 50 per cent out of...

Mr. Speaker, to the Minister, just to let you know…. I mean, for the riding of Nunakput, we say tough love, but we have it tough enough. Really consider that in your deliberations with your caucus, and remember, not everybody lives in Yellowknife. We live on the Beaufort Sea. And the people…. This is a shortfall to my people, and it’s going to affect everybody.

I would like to recognize my sister, Judy Payne.

Mr. Speaker, this is concerned with all the media regarding the cutbacks. Local community government seldom errs, but they have been asking me to ask: is this going to affect the new deal with these cutbacks?