Jackie Jacobson

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today it is surprising to see one of my constituents, Mr. Ernest Pokiak, and his daughter Violet Noksana. Welcome to the House.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Today I would like to use my Member’s statement to discuss the decision made by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to ban the importation of polar bear hides into their country.

In May 2008 the United States government listed the polar bear species as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. This action prevents importation of polar bear hides into their country. Because of this provision under the U.S. Marine Mammal Act, this decision will effectively wipe out the sport hunting industry in the communities in my riding.

U.S. groups are exploiting the polar...

To answer, Mr. Minister, $4.6 million is a lot of money. Probably you get that on the interest rate on your $100 million school we’re building. All I’m going to say, again, is that it’s not fair. We’ve got to do something about it. If it wasn’t for the federal monies, I wouldn’t be getting anything. Thank you. That’s all I have to say.

Mr. Speaker, just to let the Minister know, I look forward to working with him in the endeavour.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I almost want to ask the Minister of MACA for some stuff already. But not today. That’s for tomorrow.

Mr. Speaker, just following up on my Member’s statement today regarding Industry, Tourism and Investment with a few questions…. We know that the U.S. government has banned importation of polar bear hides into the country. What is the GNWT going to do to get this decision reversed?

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. This decision made by the United States government will have serious impacts on my people.

I would like to thank Minister Bob McLeod for asking me to join him this summer in Washington with my colleague Mr. Krutko. In Washington we met with various senators and congressmen in order to share my people’s message that the polar bear populations in Canada are healthy.

I know that with the pending U.S. election we are unable to get any changes to the ruling, but I want to let my people know that I will continue to work with the Minister of Industry...

Thank you, Mr. Chair. In the Capital Estimates for the next year and the next three years I guess we must have fallen off the list. It’s not fair for Nunakput and it’s not fair for Tu Nedhe. All week my Member’s statements have been regarding the elders facility I want to get built in Tuktoyaktuk. We’re not wanting to send our elders away from their homes. It’s simple little things like that.

In Tuk there’s overcrowding in the school. Having to share bathrooms, it’s not right. We’ve got sea cans outside for storage, but then we can build a $130 million super school in Inuvik, where I attended...

Thank you, Mr. Minister. You almost answered my second question. I was going to invite you to a community meeting in the community of Tuk to meet with the residents and talk about the situation at Mangilaluk School.

Just to have it clear and on the record, you’re going to be coming to the community of Tuk first, and then we’ll go out to visit all the other communities.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Thank you, colleagues. Is this government going to wait until we have to teach geometry in the hallways and the bathrooms and staff have to eat their lunches in a donated sea can, until students and counsellors have to talk about their personal challenges in the library and not in a private space? Or is this government going to commit to the building expansion of Mangilaluk School that the community needs so badly?

Thank you, Mr. Minister. Would the Minister be willing to work with me and my community to make this a priority?