Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Speaker, with the project, all of the regulatory processes are in place for 177. With the money starting, I mean, with the 17th Legislative Assembly over a four-year term, I won’t say the numbers, but it’s doable, and I hope to be here to push it through. At the end of the day, from 177 to Tuk, we have no work in the community this winter. All we’re going to have is the ice road. The ice road work that is yearly, $600,000 a year. The government has to try to stimulate the economy up north.

All I’m asking for is if we’re sure of the federal government’s commitment for the $150 million, would...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Listening to my colleague Mr. Bromley bring it up before, and in my Member’s statement regarding the news that we had from the Prime Minister today, my questions are asked to the Department of Transportation. What are the chances of seeing if we could get extra funding this year to start from the Tuk side to kilometre 22 on extra funding to bring it up to 90 kilometre standards to get work in the community of Tuk and to bring outside people in the riding from Inuvik, such as Sachs Harbour and Paulatuk, to get jobs in the community? What are the chances of that?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Department of Industry, Tourism and Investment and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources represent the Government of the Northwest Territories as participants in the National Energy Board’s Arctic Offshore Drilling Review. The NEB has scheduled a roundtable meeting in Inuvik for mid-September 2011. It anticipates that phase three of its review, the public report, will be completed by the end of December 2011.

ITI has worked extensively to ensure three diamond mines to increase the number of NWT residents working at the mines and develop capacity among...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to also welcome Mr. Herbert Blake from Inuvik. Again in the House I have Mr. Frank Pokiak, chair of the Inuvialuit Game Council, and Mr. Larry Carpenter, chair of the Wildlife Management Advisory Council.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I read in the newspaper the other day that Cece McCauley is wondering if I’m running. Well, Cece, I’m seeking re-election for the 17th Legislative Assembly.

Mr. Speaker, there are so many other Member’s statements that I wanted to do while I was here, because of our time, and acknowledgements and stuff like that.

Again, it was said, first of all, I want to give the condolences on behalf of the people of Nunakput to the families that are affected by the plane crash in Resolute Bay. The community of Tuk has been through that, and only time heals. It’s never going to be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my questions had to do with the income support situation in Tuk with the voucher system being implemented September 1st. I had more than a few calls that we were rushing into this, to step backwards to try to keep people independent, giving them independence and make the right choices. It’s bad enough that they are on income support and there are no jobs in the community. Mr. Speaker, I just wish this pipeline would get started so we would have work and the...(inaudible)...would get going. But, Mr. Speaker, until then we are on income support, a good majority of...

The director of the Income Support Program in Education, Culture and Employment visited Tuktoyaktuk recently to announce that her department will start using a voucher system for their clients. She was apparently responding to the question of the local hamlet. Mr. Speaker, at the time I would support anything that the Hamlet of Tuk does, so I supported it as well.

Mr. Speaker, going over it, I want to air some questions to share with many community members about the program change. First of all, how are the people going to pay for babysitters, taxes, buy groceries and emergency telephone...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Krutko indicated that they started working on this in 1988. I was 16 years old. Now I’m 39. We’re three years, even if this was to come forward, the Inuvialuit did come and sign. Even if it was to come into the House to get this deal done, we’re three and a half years away. If we put it to a 12-month hold, we’re going to be looking at the 18th Legislative Assembly. Why should we push it anymore? We all know that this government is in tough times coming ahead.

We’re only at $75 million for the next 17th Legislative Assembly and we’re still about three years away from...

I was a supporter of this because, like I said before, I support anything my leadership of the community of Tuk, the mayor and council, supports, and the DEA.

Mr. Speaker, if I was to get these letters within the next few days from the Hamlet of Tuk and the DEA and myself, is the Minister committing to me that he would defer this until April 1, 2012? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

The Minister said it himself that we’re not getting the services. Mr. Speaker, the policies when dealing with medical conditions and regular checkups are so vulnerable for our elders and our youth, especially for dental and elders for checkups, you know, causing cancer. In cases such as doctor and other staff shortages, the regular procedures should not apply. What is the government doing?