Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the life of this Assembly, Madam Speaker, housing's been a big topic in Nunakput. In the Nunakput riding, the struggles of the constituents and the people I represent, 24 percent of our houses have mold problems, 18 percent have pest infestations, 25 percent have poor indoor air quality, 13 percent of our homes are overcrowded, 20 percent of our homes in Nunakput have someone who can't get their own home and are homeless. We have poor quality homes just because of age and replacement is slow. We have to live in the coldest and darkest location in the Northwest...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Will the Minister commit to working with the community governments in Nunakput riding to increase housing apprenticeships in the region? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, today I brought up, across my communities, apprenticeship programs, you know, the lack of I ain't going to say lack of trying, it's just a lack of manpower, I guess, in having certified people across the territory in all communities and especially my riding. Madam Premier Madam Speaker, you got a promotion there. No, I'm hoping that with trades with the local LHOs, how many communities in my riding in Nunakput right now have a trades apprentice in the community? Thank you. Or communities I represent. Housing. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Just yes or no answers from the Minister then. Thank you.

So, Madam Speaker, in regards to, I've been always bringing up in the House since 2007 in regards to my elders that are being brought out of the communities of Ulukhaktok, Paulatuk, Sachs, and Tuk, having to be brought out to Inuvik to longterm care. Families not able to see them, elders getting homesick, and it just draws too much hardship on my elders.

Madam Speaker, I have private monies to use from business, a local business in the Delta wanting to build these units in the communities of Ulukhaktok and...

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Can I get that in writing? No, I'm just joking.

Madam Speaker, so the Minister's committed to that. And what I'll do is I'll reach out to my community leadership of the communities and work together with them to invite the Minister to the community to work on a goforward basis for elders' facilities in Ulukhaktok and Paulatuk. And can the Minister recommit to that? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, elders in our communities need a facility to live in. We have spoken in this House many times about overcrowded homes in Nunakput. In many homes in Nunakput, large families, cramped in small spaces, includes elders and ones we are supposed to be taking care of. Madam Speaker, we're supposed to be making sure our elders age in our homes and with dignity in our communities and not getting homesick and not missing family.

Madam Speaker, many elders are living with extended family, cramped houses, living in our own public housing units that are difficult to...

No, I just want to make a comment. Thank you, Madam Speaker. I thank the Minister for that, and I look forward to working with her department to get this done in short order, within a couple of months, not years. Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Ok. Going to be a fourplex design for elders facilities so we could take our loved ones back home to the community and watch them ourselves and having local people being able to like, it's a level two I don't know, Madam Chair, in regards to being able to wash them. You know, wash them and take care of them, feed them, and work with the community corporation to provide jobs through the community to take care of our own. And are they interested, are they able to do this and entertain? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you. Thank you, Madam Chair. In regards for the timeline though, the timeline and so if somebody came forward, wanted their unit, are we looking at six months? And like what's that really tight timeline because I do have constituents that want to come on the program but they're you know, they're kind of tired of waiting. But I just want to see, and then the forgiveness part. And you got a minute, 47 seconds so be brief as possible because I got one more question. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. Are these units any single dwelling units that people that are living in right now are eligible for this program? Thank you, Madam Chair.