Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, the housing situation has been going on in Nunakput and across the whole territory, lack of housing. It made the news the other day that $60-million fund that wasn't touched in regard to the co-investment fund. I'm wondering if the Minister is making with her department, her housing department, making a strategy and working with our local NGOs and where I'm from, IRC and the community corporations. I'm going to send a letter out saying that, "Okay. The $60-million fund, what kind of plan can we come up with in the communities?" Will the Minister entertain that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to the major retrofits in the communities, the small communities that I represent, anyway, I think that the quality of workmanship going in to make sure that we have a Red Seal carpenter who is travelling with these people who are coming into the communities and making sure they are certified, because I've been getting a few calls in regard to the workmanship and not having Red Seal carpenters on-site -- I just want to make sure that that is being done. Thank you, Madam Chair.

Yes. It is a really good opportunity to get gas a lot cheaper for the outlying communities because I think, without our subsidy that's given by our government, you'd be paying $2-something a litre. Getting opportunity to do something like this would probably be about $1.25 a litre, if not a little bit cheaper, because we're getting it right there at the source. It being on 71a lands under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement, 71a lands meaning Tuktoyaktuk lands. Are we keeping in contact with the Tuktoyaktuk community corporation with their business, the Tuktoyaktuk development corporation, and...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to invite CMHC on that tour in regard to seeing. They came to Tuktoyaktuk about two years ago. We told them all our issues, and we never heard back from them. I would ask the NWT representative invited onto that tour of Nunakput and whatever tour she is going on in regard to other than my riding, but I think it's a real priority. It has to be done. We have been sitting. If they are holding $60 million of the territory's access to funding, it should be spent, and it's urgent. Some people are homeless. Some people, they need a little bit of a light to say...

Thank you, Madam Minister, for that update, too. I see that, but we need new units. We need more units. The units that we do have we could have had about another 20 more units because there is so much mould and stuff going on in the community. People are getting sick. I'm thankful to hear that. I know that's happening, but we need more units. We have either sell out what they can get rid of to get it out of the system because I know we're only allowed so many units in the community. We have to get rid of some of the old units and put some new ones and bigger ones, fourplexes. We need more...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am going to remind the Minister that we are in a pandemic. We have no jobs. People are living off income support, making the decisions either to buy food or pay your power or pay your rent. This government, this Minister, could make this decision right now and make it easier on everybody in the territory to stop using limiters from November to April. If not, I will bring a motion in the House, Mr. Speaker, to make limiters illegal in the territory. Would this Minister commit to that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I know this Minister's just received this portfolio. I'm wondering why we'd make a statement, that Power Corporation make a statement in mid-March saying that they would not use limiters during this pandemic, and why is that happening now? You are saying one thing and doing the other? Why is the government doing that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I've been clear in this House that I oppose the NWT Power Corporation using power-limiting devices in the winter months. Life is hard and expensive in our small communities and a lack of heat life-threatening. People have their power throttled, and they don't know when the power will be turned off. This makes it impossible for a family to heat their homes properly and feed and care for their families. After I raised my objections, I was pleased to see power corporation responded positively in mid-March. Cabin Radio reported, "NWT Power Corporation has promised to...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to table the four press releases: "CBC News article dated March 2, 2020 titled 'N.W.T. MLA says power corp wrong to throttle power in winter for people who can't pay;'" "Cabin Radio article dated March 18, 2020 titled 'NWT Power Corporation to stop using limiters during pandemic;'" "Northwest Territories Power Corporation News Release dated October 21, 2020 titled "NTPC To Resume Collection Activities;" and "Cabin Radio article dated October 22, 2020 titled 'NWT Power Corporation to resume collections and use of limiters.'" Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Is this government prepared to do, to stop the use of using limiters? That's more a southern concept of cutting people off, putting load limiters on. In the winter time up North, you're trying to cook. You're on for 10 minutes, and you're off for 10. That's not right. Is the Minister willing to stop using limiters? Can I get her to commit to that through the Power Corporation during the winter months? Summer months, put them on. During the winter, from now until April, could they stop that?