Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today in my Member’s statement I was speaking to the Food Mail Program in my riding of Nunakput and more or less all over the Beaufort-Delta and the Sahtu in the small communities. Considering there’s northern nutrition and considering that only 62 percent of each dollar spent within the Food Mail Program actually results in reduced prices, the rest is being lost between Canada Post and they say the airlines, but I think it’s more the local stores not passing it along to the person who’s buying the groceries, the retailer.

Will this government work progressively with the...

I am encouraging the government to work with the Members of the Legislative Assembly to work progressively with the Government of Canada so the Food Mail Program works and can be adopted whereby each dollar of the federal government provides northern nutrition and results in a dollar reduction to the cost for the northern consumer.

Mr. Speaker, we owe the accountability to our constituents. We owe this to the health of northern consumers. Mr. Speaker, I will have questions for the appropriate Minister at the appropriate time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d just like to let the Minister know I sent a letter about two and a half weeks ago to Indian and Northern Affairs regarding the point of sale concept. I’d like to see that implemented in the local stores in the communities. Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister that anything he’s going to do with Indian and Northern Affairs, if he could keep me apprised as he goes forward and any updates from the Minister. Thank you.

Given the cost of living in most northern communities, it makes healthy living a luxury only for the privileged that can afford it. Currently the residents of Nunakput could pay up to $10 for a small bag of salad. Given the current approach, it seems just not to revise the status quo. Mr. Speaker, this government has to place the current review changes to the Food Mail Program a priority and get involved in regards to the point of sale. That is what I would like to see, an actual...When you go to the store, you will have two prices, the price that the store paid and the price of the cost of...

I would like to recognize Mr. Gordon Norberg originally from Tuk, his wife and his daughter Natasha. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. My Member’s statement today is proposed changes to the Food Mail Program. Currently, when residents of Nunakput go to the grocery store to buy groceries, they are shipped and subsidized by the Food Mail Program. They still could pay up to $10 for a salad or even more for two litres of milk.

Mr. Speaker, given the sufficient amount of spending on the Food Mail Program, this should not be happening. This is not the original vision or intention of the Food Mail Program.

The food mail system has evolved into the largest federal government subsidy program in the North, Mr...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Most residents of the Northwest Territories, when they get sick, they go see a doctor. Many times people are given the standard advice when they develop symptoms of illness: consult with your family physician. But in Nunakput, doctors’ visits are few and far between. Sometimes it can go as long as six or seven months, Mr. Speaker. That’s not acceptable.

Compounded by another issue that is equally important, especially during the H1N1 swine flu developments, are that our nurses diagnose patients, and if in their opinion the situation warrants, then a patient will be...

So now they’re having to be in long-term care, one of them, and one of them is going to take months for his recovery, Mr. Speaker. This is unacceptable. This government, we have to...She has to take the lead and direct her staff to get into the communities for longer periods of time. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Mr. Speaker, we’ve been pretty flexible lately. These past two years I’ve been here trying to work with her and she is doing a good job, Mr. Speaker. Given that the medical staff is in demand all over Canada and the Northwest Territories, and the small, remote communities are always left behind during staffing problems, Mr. Speaker, I’m asking the Minister of Health and Social Services to provide Nunakput a listing of how many medical positions have been budgeted for Nunakput, and how many positions are vacant, and what the ministry to planning on doing in response to the additional strain...

We are lucky in Canada to have equality of health care access to all residents. It’s a right, but that’s not always the answer and shared with all residents of the Northwest Territories.

Mr. Speaker, recently in central Canada a perfectly healthy young boy passed away of H1N1 within days of catching the flu. During the years and flu season, this government must implement extra measures to monitor and treat all residents of the NWT equally and not just regarding the flu, but all medical conditions. We all know how fast medical conditions can progress; even a one or two-month situation could mean...