Thank you, Mr. Menicoche. Mr. Roland.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I can address the situation to my Cabinet colleagues and looking at options and opportunities but, as a government, we are already looking at the area of energy use and how we use that energy, and the cost of living in the Northwest Territories. We do already have over $100 million in subsidies trying to help people in the Northwest Territories deal with the high cost of living.

This area, as well, we do provide some area of relief in a sense of not charging for all of the assets in the community. We will continue with that practice. But for us to go and react to this at this point when we are not sure if the price will go up once again or not, is something the last fall situation did catch us by surprise. We will have to look at how we effectively go through some of these issues and possible changes down the road. At this point, all I can offer the Member is taking the issue back to my Cabinet colleagues in light of our overall discussion around energy use in the Northwest Territories. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Roland. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Hay River South, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, today my Member's statement was about why we draw distinction between health care, medical care and dental care. Why are teeth a second-class consideration when it comes to our health? There are issues around access to dental care. Some people have insurance coverage through extended health care benefits through this government. Some people have employer benefits, but a lot of people, again, usually, unfortunately, not the indigent but usually the working poor, have access issues to dental care. I think that dental care should be a universally accessible service. It is part of our body. If it gets sick, it affects the whole body. Why are teeth and why is dental care treated differently than any other type of medical care? Thank you.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, at this point, dental services are not an insured service. There are, except when it comes to required dental surgery, we do have some investments made where we have positions for dental therapists in schools to provide dental care to all the children in the schools. That used to be the norm. Unfortunately, over time, a lot of those positions no longer exist or aren't able to be filled. The reality is that it is not an insured service at this point. Unless you have third-party coverage, you have limits to the coverage. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I am aware that is the case. That is why I'm asking this question. The Minister says that coverage is available when you need dental surgery. Yes, when we need to anaesthetize five and six year old children and extract all of their teeth because they are rotten, oh, we'll pay for that. But what about ongoing dental care, dental hygiene and issues to do with people's gums? Even if you have coverage, people can't even get to the services. Medical travel doesn't go if it is a dental issue. No medical travel. Why is that? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the Member is correct; dental services are not covered fully under our health care system. There is a resource issue to be able to do that. There is coverage for third parties, for government employees, for larger organizations that have third-party coverage, as well as for Metis and through non-insured health benefits. We are currently, as well, doing an ongoing review of the supplementary health benefits, trying to look at how we close the gaps in our social safety net and health safety net. There has been one briefing not too far in the distant past with the Social Programs committee. We are continuing to work on that particular review so we can come forward with some suggestions. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Final supplementary, Mrs. Groenewegen.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, when you do that review of insured services, I would like to state, for the record, that I think that universal access to dental care, with the accompanying benefit of travel when required, is something that should be looked at. It should be included. If not, then I would like to ask the Minister, are teeth and healthy teeth considered optional by this government? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. Mr. Miltenberger.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I take the Member's point. We will, of course, be looking very closely at the actual detail of her comments. Good health is something we strive for as a territory, as a government and as individuals. We are going to look at trying to provide the best health care that we can possibly afford. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Miltenberger. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Monfwi, Mr. Lafferty.

(Translation) Mahsi, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, as I said in my Member's statement, I meant to say Mr. Dent, but the question that I have is regarding payments and compensation. This is what I want to ask the Minister. (Translation ends)

...of land and resources. As I indicated in my Member's statement. In accordance with our rights on the Treaty 11 and Tlicho Government.

Mr. Speaker, my question to the Minister of Education, Culture and Employment is, will the Minister recognize that IBA payments are the same as the other exempt agreements and direct his department to immediately stop clawing back IBA payments from income support clients? Mahsi, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. The honourable Minister of Education, Culture and Employment, Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, the IBAs are a private contract between the companies and the Tlicho and are not something that this government has seen. The situation now is one that, if it can be demonstrated inclusively that these payments are arising from a treaty or a land claim, then the situation will change. But the onus is on the Tlicho to demonstrate that to this government. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Supplementary, Mr. Lafferty.

Thank you, Mr. Lafferty. Mr. Dent.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. As I said in my previous answer, the onus is on the Tlicho to demonstrate inclusively the relationship between these payments and the treaty or land claim. Until that happens, I can't make the commitment that the Member seeks. We are willing to take a look at the evidence that is presented by the Tlicho Government on this issue and move forward from there. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Dent. Oral questions. The honourable Member for Kam Lake, Mr. Ramsay.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I have asked the Minister of Finance questions before about the growth of government and government spending in general. Does the Minister or Cabinet ever question departments on adding positions, or is there just a great big rubberstamp in the Cabinet room that says yes and you proceed from there? Thank you, Mr. Speaker.