Thank you, Madam Speaker. Madam Speaker, I welcome the opportunity to answer this question.
In this House this week, I've been asked for nursing student bursaries, fertility treatments, suicide prevention money. I've also been asked for HIV PREP, which is a preventative medication, and free contraception. That's the problem, Madam Speaker. The expectations of the health system are not commensurate with the amount of money that is provided to it.
What I want to say about the deficit is that it is top of mind for NTHSSA and for me as the Minister. We created the NWT health and social services system, as the Member said, in 2016 and inherited a deficit at that time, and it has grown since. We report twice annually, and we report this to the Regular Members as well as to Cabinet, about the work that's being done by the sustainability office. I want to say that where they are at right now is with cost containment. So I'm not expecting a report that says that money has been saved but rather that the deficit is going to not grow as quickly as it has been. Thank you.