Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Speaker, I am quite live to the fact that February 2022 saw an inflation level at 5.4 percent higher than last year. I've certainly been watching inflation not only since 2022 began but since the fall. We've been watching what's been happening geopolitically obviously, as I know everyone has in the last few months, but also even before that with respect to supply chain issues. So, you know, I certainly want to be clear that the Department of Finance is aware of the challenges. We're aware of the financing impacts. We're looking at the impacts also from the perspective of what that's going to do to the government's revenue situation and our expenses, and there was already matters in the mandate to look at the cost of living and the impact that has on residents, the impact that has on businesses.
So having just answered three questions about the growth of the economy and the growth of business, I can't answer those three questions without always keeping in mind that the realities of supply chain challenges, the realities of inflation rising, those things are going to impact on all those other efforts. So, I mean, the plan is really one that is whole of government. The plan is one that is whole of department in that we don't -- we can't be looking to grow all of these other areas and pretend that we can have economic diversification, economic growth particularly in the small business sector, without knowing that we're going to have to continue to look at what gaps there may be, what funding opportunities we need to be seeking out, whether in partnership with the federal government or otherwise, in order to meet the reality that everyone, from small business to large business to government, are going to be potentially facing some major increased costs over the next year. So I mean, there's not a silver bullet here, Mr. Speaker. I'm not going to pretend that there is. You know, there's a couple of governments who might be giving a few hundred dollars out and for some that might be helpful, and for others that certainly won't be enough. So there's -- I'm not going to pretend there's a silver bullet, Mr. Speaker, but I want to make everyone very clear and very sure that we are going to be watching this and monitoring this, and as we've done throughout the pandemic, doing our best to fill in the gaps. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.