Jackie Jacobson

Mr. Speaker, if the family does come forward, will the Minister and his department accept his plan of going forward to stay in the housing unit? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today, Mr. Speaker, my Member’s statement was on a family in the community of Paulatuk being evicted from the housing unit. Is the Minister willing to review this particular case in Paulatuk to advise us on how he will work with other NWT agencies and client services to stop this eviction? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today the temperature in the Nunakput community of Paulatuk is minus 25 degrees. With that wind chill, it will feel like minus 35. I am giving this Assembly the weather conditions in the community, because some time today or tomorrow they will have a family being evicted and they will have nowhere to go, Mr. Speaker.

Every community in Nunakput is having major problems with the way housing is being evaluated and administered. I wonder if this government and the NWT Housing Corporation recognizes the impact they are making in my region.

In a small, remote community such as...

Can the Minister identify the huge costs of eviction of a family, which would involve emergency travel to another community like Yellowknife -- and emergency housing is already crowded -- shelter and perhaps temporary arrangements for children, compare the cost of providing positive supports for a family? So that, perhaps, the result is an issue for the Housing Corporation. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we ask for too much information sometimes. The people are suffering in the communities, Mr. Speaker. I brought this up for the last two years I have been here, that people need help. Too much information in regards to the way this program has been run. They should get out to the communities sooner than later, hopefully before Christmas by the time we come back for meetings. Mr. Speaker, if the Minister needs help doing it, I am here to help him. Thank you.

Mr. Speaker, will this government re-evaluate the way income support cheques are distributed and how various government departments deal with their residents in smaller remote communities? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement is on income support cheque payments. I mentioned it twice the last sitting. I’ve been receiving a lot of phone calls and e-mails regarding the new income support evaluation and how it’s being administered.

When government changed the way income support was given, against the recommendations of most community governments and organizations, furthermore the previous government offered no support, notice or plans to help the communities and residents deal with the changes. But many people have been noticing since the way the department changed...

Mr. Speaker, given that the government currently administers income support, it is not working. Given that the people, especially in our smaller remote communities, are suffering, will this government commit to immediate changes proposed by the communities and MLAs so people don’t have to suffer anymore, Mr. Speaker? Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today my Member’s statement was regarding the income support cheques and why are the cheques declining in the amounts. People have been noticing the department changing the way cheques are delivered, the amounts are going down. What makes the situation worse is the amount has gone down more than once this past year. People are concerned with the uncertainty. They are wondering if their cheques will go down the next time.

Mr. Speaker, will the government provide community governments with a plain language summary of why residents’ income support cheques have been...

I really want to work with the Minister with regard to this and Rural and Remote committee. We know how important this is to our people in the small, remote communities, people on income support, people with big families that are having to struggle with the high cost of living and trying to feed their kids right now, Mr. Speaker. The biggest thing is getting in to speak with the Minister of Indian and Northern Affairs to get this rectified sooner rather than later. People are going hungry in the communities, Mr. Speaker, and we have to do something soon. Thank you.