The National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations (AFN), Shawn A-in-chut Atleo, sent a letter to CDA expressing his appreciation for CDA's ongoing advocacy efforts for First Nations' oral health.
Specifically, Chief Atleo thanked CDA for inviting the AFN to participate in CDA's annual Days on the Hill meetings with the federal government in Ottawa. In October 2011, CDA representatives and Jonathan Thompson, director of health and social development at AFN, met with members of Parliament, including Ray Boughen, Conservative MP for Palliser and a member of the Standing Committee on Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development.
During these meetings, CDA reiterated the request for stable long-term funding of Health Canada's Non-Insured Health Benefits (NIHB) program. CDA also called for improvements to Health Canada's Children's Oral Health Initiative.
CDA works with officials from Health Canada, the AFN and the Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami on an ongoing basis, to help make the existing NIHB program better for patients and dentists.
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Read the AFN letter.
From left: Jonathan Thompson, director of health and social development for the Assembly of First Nations; Dr. Peter Neilson, CDA Advocacy Committee; Ray Boughen, Conservative MP for Palliser, Saskatchewan; Dr. Phil Poon, chair, CDA Advocacy Committee.
