Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My statement today was on MTS, and providing services to our communities on the coast, and making sure that the MTS is a lifeline to our three communities; Sachs, Ulukhaktok, and Paulatuk. Mr. Speaker, I just wanted to make sure that the Minister is committing and ensuring the schedule for the planning 2020 sealift is under way. They have a schedule out, but where is this Minister standing in regard to talking with their department on going forward with the 2020 season? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you Minister for that. I'm encouraged to see that we're all working together to help me to serve the people in my riding and making sure that that's one less thing they have to worry about. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

I just want a commitment from this Minister in regard to putting contracts aside and making sure the people are served first. Is the Minister willing to commit to that in the House today?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The sealift is a vital lifeline from the remote coastal communities in my riding, Mr. Speaker. It is the only way families can lower their food bills once a year, by ordering large amounts of food that bring everything into the communities that you could imagine, such as dried goods, building materials and supplies, cars, trucks, heavy equipment, and bulk petroleum; you name it. If someone can order it, then I guarantee you it has been delivered on a sealift to Nunakput.

In 2016, the Northern Transportation Company, a subsidiary of the Inuvialuit Corporate Group...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. When we come and represent our people on the floor of the House, we are passionate about what we are doing here. We want to be here to help. On the point of order, I think that the "working together" part of the House, I mean, we could bring up anything we want on the floor, anything. It is up to the Member who wanted to bring something forward who is passionate about it and wanting to seek clarity. That is all that I think that was. Working together, it is in black and white, Mr. Speaker. I really think that this House, all the Members, have to reflect why we are here...

Thank you, Madam Chair. No. Thank you, Minister, and thank you, Madam Premier, in regards to that. In the communities that I represent, we have apartments on top of our health centres. There are four apartments per health centre, and we are blessed for that for sure because you don't have to wait too long. You have just got to walk down the stairs. I am really very thankful for the staff that we have there, but they are just overworked. There has got to be a way that we could try to help them, to get more staff to help alleviate the pressure. They don't have to stay for long, a couple of weeks...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Just in regard to the nursing problems that we are having in our communities, with locums and stuff, the more locums we could get, the better, because I have about two and a half inches of paper, yellow sheets, that get faxed to me every day, reduction of core services in our community, and that is always with healthcare, them being overworked. Is there any plan in regard to getting more nurses, going out on hiring forums or something like that, to get more nurses for the communities? Thank you, Madam Chair.

Thank you, Madam Chair. "Improving services for individuals of addictions." It is a big thing to send people out, and I am happy. A lot of people back home, they are taking that initiative upon themselves and trying to get help. We are pretty good with timing to get them sent out, but it is when they come back home. There is no mechanism for helping them when they come back home and when they have got to say, "No." Is there any plans to work with the communities or even with our community corporations in regards to helping our people that we have with addictions that come home, a support...

Thank you, Madam Chair. Madam Premier, I guess we have a lot of kids who are needing, more in my riding, help in regard to a whole number of individuals getting seen by proper healthcare. When you are talking to youth these days, they have it tough. Like Lesa said earlier today, we are having a problem with all of the new drugs that are coming into the Delta, the stuff that is happening there. We have to basically try to strengthen our community in regard to counselling services. The counsellors that we have are overworked, and they really need help. Is there any way that you are looking at or...

Since they are working so fast and working together, could we move up the timeline in regards to getting into our communities, in collaboration, in a coordinated visit to move up for the Elders in our community?