Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, last week I was at a restaurant with some constituents and the next table was having a birthday party and they were taking pictures with their cell phones. Technology is amazing today. I regret to say though that in this day of technology, dental concerns in small communities echo sentiments that are far below the national standards.
There is a chronic decay in dental services for our constituents in our small communities. Although primary dental coverage for aboriginals is primarily a federal responsibility, the health and well-being of Northwest Territories residents is also the responsibility of this government. The bureaucracy, rules and regulations of the various governments, non-insured health benefits programs for aboriginals, is a mess. Dentists are increasingly unwilling to deal with the system and are sometimes asking for cash up front. According to Dr. Tom Breneman, the incoming president of the Canadian Dental Association, he says the average 12-year-old aboriginal child has nine teeth with concerns.
This is compounded in the small and remote communities in the Northwest Territories, Mr. Speaker, where the greatest discrepancy is experienced. As I mentioned in previous Member's statements, very few services in the North can realistically be labelled as accessible to all. This government must recognize and address these issues and concerns with an intergovernmental approach specifically aimed at improving the dental standards and service in the territory, especially, once again, for small and remote communities.
Having the lowest tender for dental or health care services is not always the best. The basic tenant of any contractual arrangement is that you get what you pay for remains true, even in this case. This is not acceptable to the residents of the smaller communities, Mr. Speaker. Will this Minister immediately call on and lead an intergovernmental initiative to review and address substandard dental conditions of the North, especially in the small and remote communities? Mahsi.
---Applause