Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, in addition to my statement today, NWT housing crisis, we're facing a health crisis also. But it stems work like, living together in overcrowded units, it's really drawing a lot of a lot of hurt and hardship between families because there are just not enough homes.

Mr. Speaker, I reference since we started sitting in for this 19th Assembly, 15 times I've made Member's statements in this House in regards to the housing issues that we do have in the territory. Mr. Speaker, can the Minister plan to reduce overcrowded homes in Nunakput riding and when that...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, that information's been sent over two years and it's been sent numerous times to the Minister's office. Not to her office, per se, to the Inuvik Housing Authority. We need some answers here. We got people on waiting two years now. And of all places, I mean, we don't have many houses in Sachs Harbour. We need more housing units in Sachs Harbour. We take this one off, we give it to them under they're paying for it. But at the end of the day, they're going to be able to take that house and get another house under CMHC because we're only allotted so many units...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. I'd like to you know, how can how many people are currently homeless under the housing in my riding in Nunakput, Mr. Speaker? What's the plan to increase housing options for these people? Are we able to take off through the CMHC, able to give these houses away like we planned? And we're waiting one couple in Sachs Harbour for two years now to get that program out. So how do we get them to get that house off the books from CMHC to provide a new house in Sachs Harbour to be able to provide for our younger generation that's having families...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Before I get started, I'd like to send thoughts and prayers home. Today they're laying my Uncle Henry Steen to rest. So thoughts and prayers are with my family back home.

Mr. Speaker, I've said in this House many times before, housing in Nunakput faces major issues. Residents in my riding deal with the highest cost of living in the territory. We face overcrowding. We don't have enough homes. And the homes that we do have are in need of major repairs.

In Nunakput, the riding as we know, 13 percent of our homes are overcrowded. 28 percent of our homes need major repairs...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that. Mr. Speaker, us being, I guess, laid up or tied up, I guess, for the rest of the season, say for instance in Paulatuk, will there be any employment opportunities for security or watching the vessels and stuff like that for community members and because I did get a call from a young man that was looking into something doing something like that to provide that service for MTS; is that possible? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. No, I thank the Minister for that. I just want a commitment in regards to being able to hand in a receipt if it's possible to MTS in regards to getting funds back to the constituents as my constituency is the most northerly constituency, and it's highest cost of living besides yours, Mr. Speaker. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, I move, second by the honourable Member from Deh Cho, that the Standing Committee on Economic Development and Environment Report, Bill 52, Elevators and Lifts Act, to be received by the Assembly and moved into Committee of the Whole for further consideration. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I rise to the issue of barging services in Nunakput riding. Since the GNWT, Mr. Speaker, has taken over barging six years ago, our communities continue to be at risk of barge schedule and weather, and they always run out of supplies in the communities which is costing our community members more to fly in materials off the airplane and whatever is needed.

Mr. Speaker, the barge schedule is set every year. So why are the community resupplies not the first priority to be complete? Why do our communities consistently wait to the end of shipping season and hope their...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I guess this next week I have my leadership coming down, of my mayors from the communities in regards to the goforward on a barging plan to work with the Minister and the department. I really think that in the talks I think something like this should be brought up anyway. And I just wanted to make sure that we get commitment from our Minister in regards to working together to try to compensate everybody that's been affected. It's not their fault that what happened. And we should be if they had to fly goods in, they should be compensated. And I want the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker I'm bringing up again that barging in Nunakput how we I wouldn't say how we failed but how we're working together to try to provide service. You know, like I told you in my Member's statement earlier today that all of our the people that were having to fly in goods, groceries and the young families having to fly Pampers in and that into Paulatuk and Ulukhaktok, Mr. Speaker, is there any way that we could work together with them if they brought receipts back from that certain timeframe, would the Minister be able to entertain that we'd be able to help them in refunds...