Elders buy own heating fuel

Last year I learned that the elders of Bay Chimo were paying for their own heating costs for homes that were given to them by the Government of Nunavut.

It is my understanding that the elders were asked to pay about $170 per barrel for heating fuel, which only lasted about a week. With the rising price of fuel, they are now paying about $245 dollars per barrel. They were told to pay for their fuel and keep receipts, as they would be reimbursed in the future once the politicians decide how to treat this matter.

It has been one year and nothing is being done to help these elders. Their only source of income is old age pension, which is clearly not enough to assist them in heating their homes. They don’t have enough money to heat their homes and no one is doing anything about this situation.

I am asking our leaders in government to look into this matter. The elders are entitled to be reimbursed for the cost of purchasing their own fuel for the past year and they also need to be given some sort of fuel subsidy to help them live in their home town.

This is a very urgent matter because they are unable to continue heating their homes and will be forced to move. There is not enough housing in Cambridge Bay or Kugluktuk as it is, so where will these elders go? We all know there is a shortage of housing in Nunavut already, and the last thing we need is elders with nowhere to go.

Please lets not let our elders suffer anymore, I am pleading with someone to take charge and assist them.

Rosabelle Aknavigak
Cambridge Bay