Sandy Lee

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I do appreciate the Member’s concerns in this regard. It should be made clear that the local businesses were given all preferential treatment available under our government policies to support northern businesses. With all that considered for about a $250,000 contract, there was a difference of over $100,000. So there was quite a substantial difference in the prices and, secondly, it should be made clear that while we are having discussions about government policies, it’s really important to make sure that we don’t suggest that any staff has done anything wrong. Stanton...

I will undertake to get the information from the public health officer about the level of communication she has with the communities that use fluoridation in their water.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Yes, a large part of what the public health officer does is to advise, inform and communicate to the residents about public health issues. She has communicated information in the past. I’ve had inquiries about pros and cons of fluoride from our residents and the public health officer has communicated to that. She has also indicated to me that she is willing to talk to anybody who wants to have more information about concerns about fluoride. I can tell the Member that she communicates also through websites and other means. Mr. Speaker, that is part of her job. Thank you.

I’ve already made a commitment to get back to the Member on the exact description of this equipment. It’s the level of detail that I do not keep here, so I will get back to the Member on exactly what date and what equipment. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I indicated that I did not know the exact date, but we have had delay and cancellation of elective surgeries in January and February. I do not know exactly what date, but I would be happy to get that for the Member. Thank you.

As I stated, it’s up to the municipalities to do this. The CPHO sets the standards and they do that. There is the appropriate jurisdiction. I can also add that the many governments and health organizations, including Health Canada, the Canadian Public Health Association, the Canadian Dental Association, the Canadian Medical Association and the World Health Organization endorse the fluoridation of drinking water as a safe and effective way to prevent tooth decay, which is actually quite a serious issue in the North. Community water fluoridation has been identified by the U.S. Centre for Disease...

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I’d like to let the Member know that the decision to add fluoride rests with the municipal governments. The department is responsible for setting maximum limits and monitoring fluoride levels in water. The chief medical health officer supports the addition of fluoride to drinking water as a measure to prevent tooth decay. At this time in the NWT, there are only three communities that fluoridate their drinking water: Inuvik, Fort Smith and Yellowknife. Wrigley has natural fluoride in their water. It is the municipalities that can make the decisions on fluoridization. The...

I’d like to reiterate what the CEO said in her interview, which is that all of our equipment meets national standards. They’ve decided to improve the steam quality of the sterilization equipment. They have recently installed a new reverse osmosis system and are in the process of installing a steam filtration system to improve steam quality. In doing so, they have had to have a new part and they are waiting for that. That is the situation with this.

Thank you, Mr. Speaker. First of all I need to clarify some of the confusion that might be created as a result of our exchange here. There are incidents of infections that I had reported yesterday, but there is no connection between those infections and the sterilization equipment that we’re talking about.

Stanton is maintaining and upgrading the sterilization equipment. They are waiting for parts. For that reason they have had to cut down on surgeries. They are doing emergency surgeries as well as those that require medical travel when people travel here to have surgery. They are doing those...

Yes, the department and the CPHO and other people involved with the department use the website for lots of information dissemination, so I’d be happy to undertake to do that. Thank you.