Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Madam Chair. Every house, I guess, in the Housing Corporation is for sale in regard to people who want to purchase their housing that they're living in. Is that correct, Madam Chair? Thank you.

I just want clarification, letting them know that we want those RCMP houses for my community. I know Frieda just said it. I just want to let it be known for the record that we need those houses. We're short houses. Just in regard to that, low-rental housing, we don't have enough of them in our communities, one single bedroom and two-bedroom multi-plex style house units. I'm wondering if in the communities that I represent in Nunakput, say for Paulatuk, for Tuktoyaktuk, for Ulukhaktok, are there any plans to build five- or six-plexes in the community? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I just want to let it be the first year that we do have to make sure that we are following through with the local emergency plans, with our local mayors and counsellors who have to make sure their plan is in place and to act upon it. This is a really serious matter and sickness that is coming, that there is no cure yet. Just a note for the education Minister, as well, to make sure that all the teachers who are travelling around to Mexico and all those nice, warm places, to make sure that the staff know that they should be self-checking. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That is really good to hear. I think what they should be doing also is making a phone call to the hamlet SAOs to get them enacted on that plan and working together. I am happy to hear that. With this illness, this flu that is happening that is able to kill people, our community health centres are so understaffed in regard to that. I think what we should be doing is really working with the health department, as well, in regard to getting a plan ready for this epidemic because it is coming. People are taking it too lightly.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This is such a big issue we have in our small communities, because there is no job employment. Everything is seasonal. Can the Minister provide a time estimate on what time we could look at having something before the House for approval for arrears write-offs? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

That sounds really good. It could be the Minister Paulie Chinna Arrears Program. We're thankful for that. This work will involve assessing the total amount of arrears owed by an annual income for those who owe arrears. Will the Minister provide an assessment to the appropriate standing committee when this is completed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, colleagues. It would also demonstrate that the GNWT is not using arrears as a means to punish the ones who have not paid their rent, but rather that the GNWT is doing everything in its power to encourage responsible tenancy.

Mr. Speaker, I am encouraging the Minister to seriously consider this proposal. It will give people in public housing a way to move forward and maybe even towards the goal of eventual home ownership. I have been encouraged by this Minister's willingness to work with Members on this side of the House. I'm sure she will recognize the...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I have talked about the challenges in Nunakput and the small communities across the territory for rental arrears. The housing clients who live in our communities, so many of them are struggling with rental arrears. Arrears can accumulate for reasons beyond the tenant's control. Illness, unemployment, seasonal employment, and rental charges that are too high based on the former T4 system; now the Minister fixed that for us last week. These things, or a combination of them, can put a person into arrears.

Once someone is in arrears, it is really hard to climb out of that...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to that, when we build these units, the detached units that are sold to the clients in the communities who can buy the fuel, pay the power, and stuff like that, are these units taken out of our system, and then does CMHC give you the opportunity to get another unit to replace that unit in that community? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. It's okay. That's good, then. It's not to each community; it's to the different claims group, I guess. Is that correct, Madam Chair?