Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker as of

March 31, 1997, a total of 125 new cases of cancer were reported in the NWT Cancer registry for the period from 1990 to 1996, for the Baffin Region only. In my constituency for the same time period, there were a total of 15 cases reported, nine in Arctic Bay, four in Grise Fiord, two in Resolute.

This is only a portion of the Nunavut area. Many cancers can be cured when found in the early stages. In the communities, the time between diagnosis and treatment is very long. During the delay a patient may suffer further damage or perhaps die. In remote communities, there is a potential for delay in diagnosis. Limited facilities, lack of storage for medical staff results in delays, not only for diagnosis, but proper treatment as well. Inaccessibility to the full choice of cancer treatments also compromises the health of the cancer victim. Mr. Speaker, early detection and availability of effective treatments reduce the number of cancer incidents in my constituency for the whole Northwest Territories. If we can prevent the loss of life due to cancer, we could also make an effort to do so. This may mean the government may have to develop new methods and programs. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.