Statements in Debates
Did the public health officer determine that, as doctors and nurses are essential workers, is it possible to put teachers on that essential workers list also?
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Speaking up on behalf of my teachers during this pandemic. In Nunakput, teachers provide a vital service, especially to our smaller communities, aside from parents, our kids' biggest resource for support. I have been talking to some of the teachers in Nunakput. They are really stressed out, and they need the government's help. Our teachers provide the essential services, but they're not being treated that way, Mr. Speaker. They are asking me why the nurses and doctors are considered essential service but they are not. I see where they are coming from, Mr. Speaker.
Teache...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will the Minister commit to working with ECE and the Housing Corporation because we are lack of housing in the community? Like I said before, the teachers are being -- one was evicted. She came home. She got a letter. She was evicted. Then, the next thing you know, we had to rush and try to find her a place in the community. The hamlet did that for her, but we need more houses for teachers, for professionals, to draw them in because if you don't have housing, you're not going to draw the quality of people in because you're worrying about stuff like that. That's the last...
I'm going to rephrase that question because it's not an emergency shelter. Housing has an emergency house if something goes wrong, somebody's house burns down or some emergency. Last year, I was told in the House that there is a unit, but that they were waiting to get it furnished. Is that unit available for the community now?
Mr. Speaker, I would like to bring Paulatuk's priorities for today. For housing, there is a shortage of housing for our local population. People are living in overcrowded conditions, which makes COVID-19 a higher risk for the community. Also, the conditions in units people are living in are poor. People's homes are poorly insulated and cold. It drives up the cost of heating fuel and is dangerous when cold weather hits. We need emergency housing in Paulatuk. The hamlet and local authority, the housing authority, we are waiting to hear back on what is going on with our emergency shelter which...
I think we have to have a unit for the community. I have people that haven't, been trying to get into housing for over a year now. I keep sending letters in to the Minister to no avail in regards to one individual in the community. If there's a house available for that, is he eligible to go into and to use that unit? Will people be able to go into that unit to stay warm because it's minus 40 or 50 below back home, and it's really needed.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, I have questions for the housing Minister. Crisis in housing for Paulatuk: What's the status for the emergency shelter planned for Paulatuk? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I thank the Minister for that, but I just want to remind the Minister and the government that they are responsible for all people in the Northwest Territories. During this COVID-19 pandemic, please provide services to my people who I represent in Nunakput and across the delta. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
Our counsellor just left Tuktoyaktuk. He has gone to Behchoko, so they took our counsellor, but good for him. I am happy. He wanted a change, right. As MLA for Nunakput, I am obligated for the health and safety of my people that I represent. I am asking the Minister: Could we find, through the COVID secretariat, through MACA, is there a possible way? I used to take people, athletes, to go up and do hockey schools and talk about bullying and stuff like that in my communities, but this is different. This is more a thing we could work towards, of getting somebody professional into the...
Thank you, Mr. Speaker; thank you, colleagues. We need projects to help our people, consistent help with cost of living, struggling paying bills, food, power. Mr. Speaker, what we can do is what we have to do: assist our local community governments, provide more funding of services. We have a role to play as a government, as all 19 Members, to try to help our people. Let's put our talk to the test. Our Budget 2021, let's put that to the test now. I want to see helping our communities on their daily struggles, supporting our local leaders and our mayors, Mr. Speaker. We have to do better as a...