Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to ask some questions of the Minister of Health and Social Services on the issue of dental surgery. I did hear my colleague, Mr. Beaulieu, speaking to this earlier today as well.

We had occasion to have Ms. Lee in Hay River recently, but even prior to that we had heard from the people who are still offering dental surgery in Hay River about a situation whereby there is a significant waiting list right now of mostly children waiting for dental surgery.

The portion that the non-insured health benefit is prepared to fund is less than the actual cost for these procedures. This is something where the difference could be paid, I suppose, by the GNWT, or they could choose not to step up with the difference.

Mr. Speaker, I’d like to ask the Minister of Health: given the importance of a child’s health and how it can deteriorate if the dental surgeries are not carried out, what steps are being taken to address this backlog of children waiting for dental surgery?