Hon. Jane Cordy: Senator Gold, by the government’s own estimation, one third of Canadians do not have dental insurance and one in five avoid dental services because the price is prohibitive. We know that dental care is health care. Poor oral health can lead to a myriad of other health issues and a deterioration of quality of life. I applaud the government for its commitment to providing financial assistance to those Canadians who face barriers in accessing dental services by bringing forward the new Canadian Dental Care Plan.

My question today is from Cliff Williams, a Nova Scotia senior, who is relying on the new program to access dental services. To date, the government has been vague with specifics about when the benefit will be available to all eligible Canadians.

Senator Gold, could you tell Mr. Williams when he and other Canadian seniors will be able to access the dental services under the new Canadian Dental Care Plan?