Jackie Jacobson

Could I ask the Minister if it’s possible to change the HELP unit to a four-plex? Because that HELP unit is not helping.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to welcome today Ms. Sadie Joss from Ulukhaktok, and Keith Dowling, the housing manager from Ulukhaktok. It’s not very often I have family in the House, too, so it’s good to see my housing manager from Tuk and also my cousin too. Thank you.

I’m up to two four-plexes now in the community of Sachs Harbour. It’s good.

Myself, I looked through the proposed acquisition plan. There’s nothing there for Sachs Harbour. That’s why I’m asking if we can get something put into the acquisition plan for the community. Not only that, there’s a HELP unit retrofit being done next year. I think something has to be done this year because the unit is needed in the community.

Just going back last year on the program for the professional housing unit, say for instance the community corp and any of the communities that wanted to take on professional housing for the people coming in, nurses, teachers, for a unit like that, is...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Overall I like what I see for the three communities of Paulatuk, Tuktoyaktuk and Ulukhaktok. But I’d like to ask the Minister what his plans are for Sachs Harbour in regard to getting some new units put into the community.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the motion that we’re bringing forward for the transition period, the cost of living in the small communities is so high that people are having to make choices again for either buying food for their family or paying bills. And there are such high power rates in the communities, it’s unrealistic to try to pay everything at once.

People have to work. We have to get the people employment and not penalize them. The low employment rates, again, we have to help the people in our communities, not only in our communities but in the Territory. They want to work and not be...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I seek unanimous consent to deal with the motion I gave notice of earlier today.

---Unanimous consent granted

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I give notice that on Monday, November 1, 2010, I will move the following motion: Now therefore I move, seconded by the honourable Member for Great Slave, that the Legislative Assembly recommends that the NWT Housing Corporation change its programs guidelines in order to provide responsive and meaningful flexibility;

And further, that the proposed changes to guidelines should allow for the transition period, such as a gradual increase of the rent, for these tenants;

And furthermore, that the Government of the Northwest Territories shall provide a comprehensive response to...

Can the Minister provide some background on the compensation policy? When it was started, how many times it’s been used, what’s the cost? How much money is it going to cost the Power Corporation to provide all the purchasing of all this stuff in Inuvik?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the power outages in Inuvik and the implementation of purchasing different microwaves, TVs and that for the community. Can the Minister tell me about the compensation policy at the Power Corporation that provided residents of Inuvik with payments for these damages?